Web-Telethon Raises $1 Million for Care Packages for Troops

(CNSNews.com) - Americans from across the nation tuned in to hear the "un-told" stories behind the war on terror at last Thursday's "From the Frontlines" Web-based telethon. The program, which ran for eight hours, was presented to raise money to deliver thousands of care packages to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan - and it succeeded, pulling in more than $1 million, $500,000 above its goal.

Move America Forward, a conservative, pro-troops group, organized the eight-hour telethon, which ran from 4PM to midnight PDT. Author and blogger Michelle Malkin, along with other conservative luminaries, participated in the show, which Web-cast interviews with U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The conservative guests and the soldiers all communicated through the Internet and from various Web-stations in the United States and in Iraq and Afghanistan, essentially like a global conference call and talk show.

The soldiers interviewed recounted stories of heroism in the war against terrorism, revealing events and victories that often do not get much media coverage, according to Move America Forward. At show's end, $1,055,719 was raised, enough money to provide more than 50 tons of care packages for the troops.

Catherine Moy, executive director of Move America Forward, and Melanie Morgan, chairman and co-host of "From the Frontlines," said they decided to do the show to help rally Americans' support for the troops.

"What has gotten more and more popular is Americans' love for our troops," Moy told Cybercast News Service on Thursday. "People support our troops, there is no doubt. There's an overwhelming amount pouring in from across the country as we have seen today."

Each hour of the broadcast Morgan and Malkin spoke with prominent conservative media figures, including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Dr. Laura, Ollie North, Laura Ingraham and Brent Bozell. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the media coverage of the war.

"The reason the troops are forgotten is because they're succeeding," Rush Limbaugh told viewers. "There's only news if things are falling apart. There's only news when there's big trouble. When there's success, there isn't any news."

Chuck Holton, co-author of American Heroes: In the Fight Against Radical Islam, echoed those sentiments, telling listeners, "The media is so focused on bombs and bullets and bodies, that when a school opens up in Iraq, they don't report it."

The web-a-thon's tone was overwhelmingly affirmative, with Morgan and Malkin leading discussions with veterans and active duty personnel who expressed positive messages about America's progress in the war on terror.

"You can find change and good deeds, orphanages run by Americans, and infrastructure that is being rebuilt or built for the first time by Marines," Morgan told viewers. "And we need to do our part here at home to show our support."

Move America Forward plans to ship the 50 tons of care packages to troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan in time for the 4th of July.

(Disclosure: Telethon guest Brent Bozell is president of the Media Research Center, the parent company of CNSNews.com.)

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