New Ad: Matt Damon Channels Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain

Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama star in a new television ad that highlights successes in helping the world's poor and encourages people to do more this election year.

But don't expect to see the presidential candidates' wives. Instead, their words -- and those of others -- flow through the mouth of actor Matt Damon.

"Thanks to everyday Americans who chose to make a difference, millions of lives have been saved in the world's poorest countries," Damon says, opening the spot, titled "Voices," by the bipartisan, anti-poverty group ONE and its Vote '08 project.

His is the only face seen, and he mouths words spoken by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent; Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama; and Cindy McCain, wife of Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain.

Damon continues in different voices, focusing on the number of children who can now attend school, people with AIDS who are getting medication and those saved from preventable diseases.

"But there's still more to do," Cindy McCain's voice says.

Hers is followed by a man's asking viewers to join people from different political parties. "Democrats, Republicans and independents," Bloomberg's voice says. "Who are coming together as one," adds Michelle Obama's.

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The ad is part of the ONE project's effort to get the next president to promise to take concrete steps to address world poverty.

The group says both presidential candidates support the cause, but that more can be done.

"We want to remind them that the public is out there eager for them to say more about this," said David Lane, president and CEO of the ONE campaign, told The Associated Press in an interview.

The ONE campaign says it is not endorsing any candidate for president.

The organization is spending $1.8 million to air the ad, beginning Sunday during NBC's "Meet the Press" and ABC's "This Week." It also is scheduled to run on cable television and online until Sept. 4, corresponding to the national political conventions.

On the Net:

* ONE campaign: http://www.ONE.org

Comments

[Laura8448]

Well that gave me chills, gotta love a good looking man with a message that positive!

[Sloopydrew]

Okay ... that was thoroughly terrifying. Was that what they were going for? Keep the audience awake for weeks, scared to go to sleep and face a Matt Damon with a thousand voices chasing them with finger blades? Seriously, that ad was a little off putting.

[protagonia]

You are too easily frightened.

Hang on sloopy,
sloopy hang on.

[AntonBursch]

f*** you for get that d*** song stuck in my head. Great. I'll be humming those 2 lines for the next 3 days.

i would not be such a nothing, my head all full of stuffing, my heart all full of pain.

there, payback.

[jfoxx]

Damn he's a good actor. It really sounded like those celebrities. I had no idea he was such an impressionist.

[django707]

Well, that was perfectly Orwellian. One attractive media figure staring us in the eye and letting the entire ruling elite speak through him directly into our poor unprotected psyches. And what a message of oneness!
I can't wait for the day when we are all one people walking the red carpets together and bringing light and love to the planet, while the global police state keeps us treading ever so lightly through the daisies.

[GayGrandpa]

I can't wait until we all have ten houses and can't remember how many we have! I can't wait to have a spouse worth 100 million! I can't wait when until I no longer need to vote because someone has already voted for me.

[cruzy]

Gee, your right, an ad urging people to end world poverty and hunger is just so Orwellian (Have you even read any of his books? Comparing Matt Damon to Big Brother is more than a little absurd). No, it's not. It's just an ad urging people of different backgrounds to work toward a solution to address major global issues. What exactly would not be Orwellian in your book? Oh, I know, sitting on your ass spewing pseudo-intellectual crap while doing nothing to help people in need. Sorry you want to be a pessimist, peddle your doom-and-gloom elsewhere.

[4wehttam]

Thanks Matt, but I'd rather do bipartisan AFTER we kick McBush's butt.

[YouDisgustMe]

LOL!!

[gtt]

The effort and resources need to be devoted to electing the only candidate that is likely to really commit the United States to the true welfare of the impoverished. Obama! This is foolish to give McCain any shelter or quarter on this issue that is as foreign to him as diplomacy is to republicans!

[pakaal]

An ad designed to bring people of various political leanings together. Just before the conventions start. No problem with the message, but the timing?
.

[luvangelHussein330]

Not as bad as I though it weas going to be...pretty cool actually...they need to change the title...but then again if they did would anybody have come to this article

[gobarackgo]

Cool ad.

[sillymongoose23]

really good ad, he was filming in my home city of decatur this summer... i didn't get a chance to meet him tho because i was in india... i am a one member and have been since the start... so if you haven't joined. please consider.

[personalpolitical]

LOL! I love "bipartisan" groups dedicated to things like poverty. Bipartisan my ass. Until oil execs are living in cardboard boxes they won't care about poverty! There is only one party that gives a damn about the lower/middle class. There is only one party that doesn't consider people making $5 million a year "middle class".

[meanguy]

good ad, good cause

[mosh]

ditto

[kellek]

It is that scary mimic trick that Terminators do! I don't know if I want to frack Matt Damon when he does that. Although, if it was with sexy male accents....

[jeersforfears]

Matt Damon wants Dennis Kucinich to be president. Matt Damon has some deep thinking to do.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

So do I. YOU have some deep thinking to do.

[ylpatriot]

Indeed Dennis Kucinich would have been a better choice than what we have now !!!!

[gaither83]

Then I guess Mr. Damon has done his homework and can see that the country is in dire need of internal reform not a fairy tale candidate. If you ask me, YOU have some deep thinking to do.

[research]

And who is still fighting for impeachment?

Kucinich!

He needs your help. Contribute to strengthen the Kucinich coalition. The half of the House dems who vote against FISA, against eh War and for Health care. Not the DLC dems.

Your dismissal of Kuciinch shows great shallowness and the ease with which the MSM Programs you.

The MSM committed a crime against Americans by excluding Kucinich from the debates.

[protagonia]

jeersforrationathought

Many of us want Kucinich for president. When he was bumped out of the game, he recommended Obama as the next most viable chance to pull out of this nose dive.

LOTS of people have some deep thinking to do. That would bring up some new fears though, and we cannot have that, can we?

[UnbiasView]

Just be Jason Borne . . .

[Rockwell]

What the hell does that mean? You can't be more than your job? Matt Damon's a actor so all he's allowed to do your tiny little world view is act? So if you're a grocery store bagger that's all you can be? Can't do PSAs or work in your community or have a voice on any subject other than paper-or-plastic?

[Hillrick]

Singers can only sing, unless they advocate what the right says. Actors can only act, unless the right can exploit them for their own ends. Everyone else just shut up and do what you're told.

[sociocanuck]

1. BoUrne

2. Jealous!

[protagonia]

Matt may do as he pleases in a free nation.

[mosh]

Hmmm I wish upon a star . . . .

Unibiasview just go away . . . .

With it were that simple my friend (not).

[amazinggrace]

If you have not already joined One Campaign you should do so NOW! http://www.ONE.org