LCV Endorses Senator John Kerry for President

Primary Endorsement Before New Hampshire Primary Unprecedented in Organization’s 34-Year History

January 24, 2004

Contact: Chuck Porcari or Mark Sokolove

CONCORD, NH - The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) today endorsed Senator John Kerry for President of the United States.  This endorsement is the earliest ever in the organization’s 34-year history.

“John Kerry is a man whose unparalleled record on environmental issues has earned him an extraordinary lifetime rating from the League of Conservation Voters,  and he is clearly the strongest environmentalist in the field,” said Deb Callahan, president of LCV.  “John Kerry understands that the American people need a president who will never roll over to corporate contributors at the expense of the health and safety of the public.”

“I urge citizens and environmentalists in New Hampshire to cast their vote for John Kerry on Tuesday,” said Ms. Callahan.

Over the next three days in New Hampshire and later in other upcoming primary states, LCV and its local partners will be working tirelessly in a focused, independent, get-out-the-vote effort on behalf of John Kerry’s campaign.

“John Kerry understands how to protect our water and remove mercury from our air. This a man who will stand up to the corporate interests and tell them to do what is right for their country, not their wallets. This is a man who understands that the 2004 election is about the world we pass on to our children not passing the problems of our world to our children,” said Ms. Callahan.  “John Kerry is the candidate to defeat President Bush, who has compiled the worst environmental record in the history of our nation.”

Ms. Callahan noted that LCV came to New Hampshire last month to release its Presidential Candidate Profiles, a document that states that all of the Democratic candidates would be better for the environment than George W. Bush.

“This is truly, a field of friends,” said Ms. Callahan.

The nonprofit League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the political voice of the national environmental and conservation community.  LCV, which is not a partisan organization, is the only national organization working full-time to hold Congress and the president accountable for their environmental actions.  For more information, please visit us on the web at www.lcv.org.

New Hampshire Technical College
8:30 a.m., 1/24/2003

Good Morning, I’m Deb Callahan, President of the League of Conservation Voters.

Last month the League of Conservation Voters came here to Concord and released our Presidential Candidate Profiles. We made it clear that ANY of the candidates would be better for the environment than George Bush. This field of Democratic candidates is truly a field of environmental friends.

Four days ago, in his State of the Union Address, George Bush stood before the nation and did not see fit to talk about the air we breathe, the water we drink and the earth our children will inherit. The words “environment”, “pollution”, “clean air” and
“clean water” were nowhere to be found in the text. The League of Conservation Voters has come away with one dominating thought for this election year:

As environmentalists, we can say with conviction that George W. Bush should not be recycled as President.

The American people need a President who will take bold steps to protect our environment.

The American people need a President who will lay to rest the false choice between a clean environment and economic growth.

The American people need a President who will never roll over to corporate contributors at the expense of the health and safety of the public.

The American people need a President who understands that energy independence is key to the security of our great nation.

The American people need a President who is committed to work with other nations on environmental issues that affect all of us on earth -- before we move on to Mars.

These qualities in a President are not complicated. They are not revolutionary. They are beliefs carried by Americans everywhere, by Americans who simply seek the opportunity to live, work and raise a family knowing their country is secure and their environment healthy.

The man who understands all of this is standing here with me today.

John Kerry understood 30 years ago that motor vehicles need to get better gas mileage. John Kerry has always understood that reducing our dependency on foreign oil was better for America, just as John Kerry has always understood that American
ingenuity, American enterprise and American grit would make this effort a profitable enterprise.

John Kerry understands how to protect our water, enhance our parks and remove mercury from our air. This a man who will stand up to the corporate interests and tell them to do what is right for their country, as well as their wallets. This is a man who
understands that the 2004 election is about the world WE pass on to our children…NOT passing the problems of our world TO our children.

John Kerry understands that Rachel Carson’s warning in “Silent Spring” so many years ago remains as potent today as it did then.

John Kerry is a man whose extraordinary record on environmental issues has earned him the highest lifetime rating from the League of Conservation Voters of any candidate running for President.

John Kerry is a man for whom the League of Conservation Voters will work tirelessly in a focused get-out-the-vote effort across our great country,

And today, John Kerry is a man who The League of Conservation Voters is proud to ? at the earliest time in our 34-year history ? endorse for President of the United States.

It is indeed a great honor to introduce the soon-to-be 44th President of the United States;

Senator John F. Kerry!