
- Plan what you want to say beforehand.
- Expect a staffer to answer your call.
(You are calling the candidate's Senatorial office, which is better equipped than campaign headquarters to receive comment on public issues.)
- Be respectful, courteous, and to the point.
- Ask: “Are you the person I should speak to in order to convey a message to Senator [Name]?”
- If “Yes” (or you are connected you to another person): introduce yourself and say where you are from.
- If asked 'is it a campaign or legislative issue?', say 'legislative' (your concern about torture is more than a campaign matter): introduce yourself and say where you are from.
- The heart of your message.
Say you are calling:
- to commend Senator [Name] for his public stance against torture
- to tell him that halting America's use of torture is a priority concern for you
- to urge Senator [Name] to lead his party at the [name Party] Convention to adopt a party platform plank that rejects torture absolutely. "No Torture. No Exceptions."
[Prior to the general election each political party at its convention adopts a program/platform with policies/planks it pledges to uphold.]
- If you can, add why this is important.
Here are good points to choose from:
- torture betrays American values/it is not what America stands for
- torture does not get reliable information
- torture puts our soldiers at risk
- our country's use of torture has already had terrible consequences:
- it has spread hatred of America, recruited new terrorists
- it has damaged our credibility, alienated our allies, undermined our ability to promote freedom and democracy
- Thank the staffer for their time and ask them to convey your message to Senator [Name].
Senator John McCain: Phone: (202) 224-2235
Senator Barack Obama: Phone: (202) 224-2854