9/11 Families Endorse John Kerry for President
For Immediate Release
Washington, DC - Five September 11th families Tuesday endorsed John Kerry for president during a press conference in
Washington, DC. The five women who lost their husbands in the World Trade Center on September 11th met Kerry last week
and endorsed him today saying they believe that John Kerry has a stronger commitment to and will be more effective at
fighting and winning the war on terror. The five women are committed to working over the next 49 days to elect John
Kerry as president.
The women endorsing Kerry are: Kristen Breitweiser of Middletown Township, NJ; Patty Casazza of Colts Neck, NJ; Monica
Gabrielle of West Haven, CT; Mindy Kleinberg of East Brunswick, New Jersey; and Lorie Van Auken of East Brunswick, NJ.
September 11, 2001 was a tragic day for America. The September 11th families endorsing Kerry today said that the best
way to honor the victims is to defeat the terrorists who attacked us and to protect the American people. The women said
that John Kerry will fight a strong and smart war against the terrorists and that President Bush has made the wrong
choices to accomplish these goals. They said they can’t understand why Bush has been dragging his feet on intelligence
reform which is key to preventing future attacks, why he lost focus on going after al Qaeda or why he diverted valuable
resources away from Afghanistan to fight the war in Iraq.
“I’m honored that the 9/11 families have chosen to endorse me for president of the United States,” Kerry said in a
statement. “I’m grateful for their support. Over the past three years, they’ve fought to ensure that no other families
have to suffer the pain that they have endured. Their endorsement today sends a clear signal that much more needs to be
done to make America safe and to fight a more effective war on terror. As president, I will honor their support by
making America safer, stronger and more secure.”
President Bush first resisted the creation of the 9/11 Commission, then put up road blocks to its investigation and now
has been slow to implement its recommendations. Kerry supported the legislation creating the 9/11 Commission and he
fully embraces its recommendations.
In Afghanistan, Bush pulled specialized troops away from the hunt for bin Laden to prepare for their next assignment,
Iraq, and has allowed Afghanistan to become a forgotten front of the war on terror. Kerry understands that we must
really win the peace in Afghanistan so that al Qaeda doesn’t have a haven.
After September 11th, these five women who endorsed Kerry today joined together to start September 11th Advocates, a
family advocacy group that spearheaded the grassroots effort for the establishment of the 9/11 Independent Commission.
They have been tireless advocates for an investigation into the events around September 11th and as they stressed today,
for implementation of the recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission.
ENDS