Dear Friend,

Getting a phone call from the notorious, celebrity tabloid website/TV show TMZ was not something we were anticipating, last week. But an interviewer had just asked professional wrestler-turned-Hollywood-A-lister Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson about a time he once mentioned running for president.

TMZ wanted to spin that soundbite into more content (because that's how they sell advertising) by asking us what we thought of "The Rock" running for president with the Green Party.

TMZ probably assumed we'd laugh off The Rock and the idea as being unserious, or be dazzled by the prospect of a superstar lending their popularity and resources to our struggle. What they didn't anticipate was our skepticism of whether The Rock was tough enough to run for president as a Green.

You see, despite The Rock's legendary work ethic (starting every day by hitting the gym hours before dawn, followed by long shifts shooting movies and TV) and history of enduring every physical challenge that can be thrown at a wrestler/action movie star, we doubt The Rock has seen anything like the dirty tricks, abuse and attacks faced by a Green Party candidate challenging the Parties of War and Wall Street for the White House.

Because that's how the power structure responds to real threats — which makes the Green Party and our brave candidates all the more necessary. If you donate today you'll be lending them a hand when they need it most.

Our counter-intuitive response caught TMZ's attention — the media loves a "man-bites-dog" story. We even managed to sneak in a few quotes about the Democrats and Republicans' "guillotine chokehold on democracy" and how our candidates have to be brave enough to "challeng(e) billionaire elites".

With any luck, that will give TMZ's readers something to think about and stoke an interest in going Green, themselves. The corporate media only rarely takes a break from stonewalling us. We have to make the most of the opportunities we get.

But we have a long way to go when it comes to reaching everyday people with the message of how we can democratize elections: explaining needed reforms like Proportional Representation, Ranked Choice Voting, fair ballot access and fully-public campaign finance.

Donate to the Green Party today and we will continue to expand our reach through every media channel available to us: livestreamed video, social media, publishing articles, funding campaign ads and more.

If you haven't already, consider joining the ranks of our Monthly Sustainers, whose year-round contributions provide the foundation for our campaign training, education and support programs.

Their support, along with yours, will build this party into a grassroots groundswell to end the duopoly and provide real solutions that can't wait!

With Gratitude,
Michael O'Neil
Communications Director
The Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org/

P.S. Most of the time, the press doesn't call us. We have to doggedly pitch them, sending many emails, press releases and enticing story ideas to get their attention. Even tracking down their contact information can be a challenge. When you donate to the Green Party you help us access the specialized media directories and outreach tools we need to connect with journalists who are willing to learn more about how our candidates and organizers are changing this country.