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.
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
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First Posted: 08-21-08 10:42 AM | Updated: 09-21-08 05:12 AM