From the Lee for Congress campaign in the 11th CD:
UTICA, ILLINOIS - To complete his "Eleven in the Eleventh" series of public addresses, Congressional Candidate Jimmy Lee will host Town Hall Meetings this coming Friday, February 1, 2008. Lee will host one Town Hall Meeting in person, followed by a "Virtual Town Hall Meeting," in which voters can go online and converse with Lee in a live question-and-answer session.
Lee stated, "When you think back to campaigns and Town Hall Meetings of the past, you picture a candidate or politician conversing with a group of local people, engaging in real discussions, and trying to work together toward real solutions to our nation's problems. But somehow within the history of our country, political campaigns took a wrong turn. Today, much of politics centers around negative campaigns and political rhetoric."
"My goal in hosting Town Hall Meetings this coming Friday is more than for the sake of nostalgia-the purpose is to give credit to the notion that public officials must maintain constant communication with constituents, not only during the campaign but once they are elected into office."
In explaining the concept of the "Virtual Town Hall Meeting," Lee stated, "A unique aspect of my campaign is the way we have engaged the interest and participation of younger voters. Some believe that younger voters only are enthusiastic about Presidential elections, or that participation of younger voters and activists is more aligned with the Democratic rather than the Republican Party. But through outlets such as Facebook, text messaging, and the forum of a "Virtual Town Hall Meeting," we've been successful in reaching a younger demographic, engaging them in the political process, and having them partner with us in our campaign effort.
"This coming Friday, whether it's in person or online, I look forward to speaking openly and honestly with people within my District."
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Schedule for Friday, February 1, 2008:
* Please note that the Town Hall Meeting at Starbucks is limited to members of the local community; press is not allowed. Members of the press are invited to log on and participate in the online Town Hall Meeting beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Frankfort, Illinois 9:00 a.m.
Starbucks
605-607 N LaGrange Road
Frankfort, IL 60423
Virtual Town Hall Meeting 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To join in a live question-and-answer session with Jimmy Lee, go to the campaign website at www.leeforcongress2008.com, and click on the link for the chatroom located on the homepage, and choose a log-in name to join the chat.
For more information please contact Cary Black at (815) 585-4706.