It's been a remarkable week for us.  Thanks to your activism in spreading our videos and getting the word out about our campaigns, we've had tremendous success on several fronts: 

Because of you, John McCain was compelled to reject the endorsements from bigoted pastors Rev. John Hagee and Rev. Rod Parsley today!  We've been working with David Corn of Mother Jones for a while to tell the truth about McCain's pastor problem, since the corporate media wouldn't.  By passing that video along, you helped us catch the media's eye and pressure McCain to reject those hate-filled endorsements—something that should have happened a long time ago. 

Also because of you, the GI Bill for the 21st Century passed 75-22.  Congress saw beyond John McCain's hypocritical, unfounded objections and is going to provide our vets the educational benefits they deserve. 
passed the Senate yesterday with an overwhelming majority,

From the outset, we recognized McCain's hypocrisy in refusing to co-sponsor this bill.  And so we teamed up with WesPAC and Vote Vets to create a highly successful campaign that generated over 35,000 signatures!  Clearly, this proved to be an effective way to pressure Congress.

Another way you've made a real difference is in promoting The Real McCain 2, which has received an astounding 1 million views since we launched it last Sunday!  If you haven't already done so, check out this immensely popular video and pass it to your friends and colleagues.  It's the only way to get the truth out about McCain.

Finally, our $3 trillion virtual shopping spree has caught fire!  It has drawn 1.4 million shoppers, hit #1 on YouTube News and Politics, and received praise from all over the Internet.  This fun online game where you try to spend $3 trillion (what the Bush administration has spent on the war) has also attracted celebrity shoppers like John Cusack, Laurie David, Gloria Steinem, and Phil Donahue.

But while 1.4 million is a tremendous number, our ultimate goal is to get 3 trillion shoppers!  John Cusack, star of the film War, Inc. which opens tonight in LA and NY, is assisting us in that endeavor with this contest:

Whoever can get the most people to fill out a shopping cart by emailing their cart or sending a gift certificate, will receive a real gift certificate for free movie tickets to War, Inc. (Contest ends Memorial Day at midnight ET)

War, Inc. satirizes war profiteers, who in real life have made millions while the American public faces an Iraq War Recession.  According to Cusack, "KBR, Halliburton and the other war profiteers have made out like bandits in Iraq, while taxpayers and their own workers get screwed."  By going to see War, Inc. and playing the $3 trillion shopping spree you help connect the dots between the Iraq War, its profiteers, and our ailing economy. 

But our work is far from over.  The Bush administration continues to plunge us further into this Iraq War Recession; the corporate media continues its blind love for McCain; and Bush has already vowed to veto the GI Bill, despite the fact that it would make him the first president in history to deny benefits to vets.

Please become a $10 monthly subscriber, and help us continue creating the hard-hitting, accurate reporting that the corporate media won't attempt. 

Have a pleasant Memorial Day!

Director Robert Greenwald will be speaking about using web video as a powerful tool in sparking citizens and policymakers into action and creating change at this months Internet Advocacy Roundtable.

The event will be from 1-3pm on Thursday, March 20th in Washington D.C.

Address:
Center for American Progress Action Fund
1333 H Street, NW
10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Please RSVP if you'd like to come, seats are limited. 

We at Brave New Films couldn't be more proud one of our own has won the much coveted Maria Leavey award! We were just notified that after counting all the votes, Jim Gilliam will be the recipient of this award for unsung progressive heroes.

The award will be presented and Jim will give a speech during the closing luncheon at the Take Back America 2008 conference on March 19th.  

Congratulations Jim! 

We're proud to announce that the Sierra Club Chronicles series will begin airing on the Sundance channel at 9pm on February the 5th. A new episode will air every Tuesday night. Be sure to check it out!

The series is produced by Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films in association with the Sierra Club and focuses on the dramatic efforts of committed individuals across the country working to protect the health of their environment and communities.

Naomi Klein and Robert Greenwald discuss torture, accountability, private equity, the future of activism and the importance to get involved and take action.

Robert will be the keynote speaker tomorrow, Friday November 16th, at the Alt-Film Festival at Borders Books in Westwood. The festival starts at 7:30pm. Other speakers include award-winning filmmakers and directors such as James Spooner, Matt Pizzolo, Joanna Angel, Esther Bell and Curt Johnson. Please check the Alt-Film Festival website for more information.

Robert was one of the presenters for the 2007 BRITDOC Media Conference, which can now be viewed online. The Media Conference web site can be a valuable resource for anyone interested in the campaigning potential of documentary. Visit the web site the watch the entire conference here.

Robert will be on Hardball (MSNBC) today at 5pm ET / 2pm PT talking about today's hearings with Blackwater and Erik Prince.

Avowed neoconservative, Frank Gaffney will also be on. 

Should be interesting! 

UPDATE: We've got the video now.  Way to go Robert! 

The devastating details of war profiteering are front and center in a major story in the Los Angeles Times this morning.

With emails, internal communications and details, the story provides heartbreaking insight into the decision by Halliburton-KBR to send truck drivers to their death.

In working on IRAQ FOR SALE, this story of the "Friday massacre" was one of the most devastating sections of the film. All of us who worked on the film continue to be haunted by the interviews we did with the two surviving truck drivers, and the wives and children of the truck drivers who were killed. The section of the film where we expose this profiteering continues to outrage and inflame audiences. Todays article in the Times will intensity the outrage as well it should.

The decision to send these truck drivers into a region they were told was going to cost lives was made for the pure financial gain of Halliburton-KBR. It brings home once again the disaster of building profit into the war effort. And the irony of Halliburton threatening the Times with a possible lawsuit! We must continue to insist that investigations continue and legislation be passed to stop the corporations who have made a science of profit over patriotism.

What a joyous day!  I'm watching Alberto Gonzales resign right now to "be with his family."   He and Rove will have lots of quality time together!

Congratulations on your work, your efforts, your signatures.   When we all started the campaign to impeach Gonzales it seemed a far and distant possibility.  But we learn, once again, that taking the lead, taking the initiative, and using our tools with the new media can have an impact.  Nothing like seeing a clip of his lies spread around to hundreds of thousands!

So enjoy, celebrate, and look forward to more battles and victories ahead.