Thursday, April 22, 2004 or Kawana Lloyd, Fenton Communications,

202-822-5200

MoveOn.org Political Action ANNOUNCES UNPRECEDENTED PLAN TO RAISE $50 MILLION FROM 500,000 DONORS TO DEFEAT BUSH

Internet Effort to Reduce Advantage of Republican Big Money Donors

“MoveOn.org is a huge threat and has hurt the President.”

- Bush/Cheney ’04 Campaign Director Ken Mehlman

The Hill, April 20, 2004

Washington, DC— Off the heels of their “Bake Back the White House” cookie sales that brought in three-quarters of a million dollars in one day, MoveOn.org Political Action announced today an unprecedented campaign to raise $50 million to defeat President Bush and elect progressive candidates.

The group hopes to reduce the historical financial advantage of the Republicans and their ability to bundle big contributions from wealthy donors and corporations, exemplified by the Bush/Cheney campaign’s “Ranger” program.

“This is hundreds of thousands of Davids against Goliath,” said MoveOn.org Political Action Executive Director, Eli Pariser.

He said the campaign between now and the November election would focus heavily on local fundraising events and on-the-ground activities in cities and towns around the country. On Saturday, over 500,000 Americans took part in over 1,100 bake sales in communities around the country that raised $750,000 for MoveOn.org Political Action.

No outside group has ever raised $50 million in hard money. It is more than the national Democratic party raised in the last year and is more than the National Rifle Association and Emily’s List raised in the 2002 election cycle, combined.

“MoveOn members are re-writing the political play book, and, together, we are evening the playing field against the wealthiest Presidential campaign in history,” said Pariser.

The money will be spent approximately as follows:

· $10 million to support the biggest get-out-the-vote drive in American history;

· $20 million for independent advertisements to reach millions of voters in swing states – ads that will cut through the spin and set the record straight on the issues facing ordinary Americans;

· $20 million in contributions collected by MoveOn.org Political Action directly to candidates from state senators to John Kerry, giving them the resources they need to compete.

Bush campaign director Ken Mehlman complained to The Hill newspaper on Monday that TV ads and other criticisms of President Bush--sponsored by MoveOn.org Voter Fund and MoveOn.org Political Action--have had an impact on their campaign. “MoveOn.org is a huge threat and has hurt the President,” Mehlman told The Hill.