Granite State Progress Screens Third Term

Concord – Today Granite State Progress hosted a sneak preview of ‘Third Term: How John McCain promises to continue Bush’s failed policies’- a documentary detailing what Senator John McCain’s right-wing policies would mean for America.

This feature-length documentary – narrated by Paul Begala – examines how on every major issue this year, from the war in Iraq, to the economy, to health care, to our energy crisis, Senator McCain has been on the wrong side, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President George W. Bush. Today, the New York Times referred to McCain’s close association with Bush economic and war policies as McCain’s “Third-Term Problem.”

Senator John McCain and President George W. Bush star in the film, which highlights the striking similarity of McCain and Bush’s policies and rhetoric. George W. Bush and Senator McCain assert their beliefs that “the fundamentals of our economy are very strong” and that the Bush tax cuts are the best way to keep them strong.

Third Term features interviews with experts like: Rand Beers: Founder and President of National Security Network, National Security Council 1988-1998 2002-2003; Ellen Malcolm of Emily’s List; Paul Waldman: Coauthor of Free Ride, Senior Fellow Media Matters Action Network; Larry Korb, Senior Fellow at American Progress Action Fund, Assistant Secretary of Defense 1981-1985; and Thea Lee Policy Director and Chief International Economist AFL-CIO.

Third Term will be widely released starting September 25th – the film can be downloaded at www.Third-Term.com and will be available, following the official release, on amazon.com.

The documentary has been scored by Grammy-award winning producer/composer Art Hodge, best known for his work on the soundtrack of “Fight Club.” The private screening was at 1:00 pm in the Stoneyfield Farm Cultural Cinema at Red River Theatre, Concord. The theatre is not associated with the film.

New Hampshire Cameos
Much of the footage in the film is from campaign events with John McCain, and a few of the more notable segments include highlights of New Hampshire events and voters.

On Social Security: Includes McCain’s exchange on Social Security with Amherst resident John Mendolusky during the Nashua, June 12, 2008 campaign event.

On Trade: Includes visual of NH campaign stop, with an activist holding a sign in the background displaying “13,000 NH Jobs Lost. Enough is Enough. Support Fair Trade, NOT Free Trade.”

On Health Care: Shows a campaign rally in front of the New Hampshire State House, including a frame of the priorities banner carried by NH AFSC.

On Iraq: Includes McCain’s infamous 100-years in Iraq statement made at a Derry Town Hall Meeting on January 3, 2008, in response to a question by Hollis resident Dave Tiffany.

Excerpts From ‘Third Term’ – President Bush and Senator McCain’s statements on economy and economic experts highlight the similarities and walk through the consequences:

JOHN MCCAIN: I have a fundamental belief. I have a great belief that the fundamentals of our economy are very strong. Very strong.

THEA LEE: the idea that he would say that this is a strong economy is absurd, it’s insane, it’s insulting to American workers.

JOHN MCCAIN: I want to express to you my firm conviction that America’s economy, the fundamentals of it are strong.

NARRATION: They either don’t figure we’re in a recession…

JOHN MCCAIN: I am not convinced that we are necessarily going into a recession.

GEORGE W BUSH: We’re not in a recession. We’re in a slow down.

NARRATION: Or they say perhaps we are in a recession, but it doesn’t really matter.

WOLF BLITZER: President Bush says despite the spate of grim economic news, current conditions don’t meet the technical definition of a recession. He says the economy is just going through a rough patch.

MCCAIN: …and we’re in a rough patch.

REPORTER: … are we in a recession?

JOHN MCCAIN: I certainly think so. But let me just add to that comment. It’s really kind of a technical term used by people who are economists.

NARRATION: Maybe it is a technical matter if you, technically, are worth an estimated $100 million, and you technically own ten homes, and you technically have the best health care the American taxpayers can provide for you. If that’s the case then maybe a recession is really just a technical matter.

Senator Lindsay Graham – “No one helped President Bush in 2000 more than Senator McCain. … Sen. McCain definitely helped him become president twice.”

James Kvaal, Senior Fellow Center For American Progress Action Fund – “If you look at the economic policies that McCain has proposed, they really are a strengthening of George-, a continuation of George Bush’s policies.”

David Donnelly, Director Campaign Money Watch – “John McCain has done a complete 180 when it comes to listening to lobbyists and taking their advice.”

Ezra Klein, The American Prospect – “They don’t have health care policies. McCain doesn’t have health care policies. Bush doesn’t have health care policies. They don’t care. They never have.”

Daniel J. Weiss Director of Climate Strategy, Center for American Progress Action Fund – “It’s hard to know what John McCain really believes in. In the past he’s spoken out against tax breaks for big oil companies, now he supports tax breaks for big oil companies.”

Rand Beers President, Nation Security Network – “I have found President Bush and John McCain’s rhetoric about the central front of the war on terrorism being in Iraq to be totally wrong-headed.”

The film was produced by Progressive Accountability (PAO). PAO is a joint project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF) and Media Matters Action Network (MMAN) that will aggressively define and drive the 2008 national policy debate. Harnessing the combined communications and policy expertise of the two organizations, the project will deploy a top-notch policy, research, video and audio tracking team to uncover facts about the failed record of conservatism and conservative leaders; provide hard-hitting critique of conservative policy ideas, force the facts into the public domain by working with reporters, producers, opinion leaders and high-traffic on-line outlets and communities; illuminate and defend the progressive agenda, and arm progressive voices for battle, across all media channels; and convene progressive partner organizations in Washington and in multiple states to create a real “echo chamber” for progressive messaging.

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