WWE News: Presidential Press Release, New Developmental Talent, New CA Shows

– Former WWC star Black Pain has signed a developmental deal with WWE and will report to FCW soon. He is billed at 7 feet tall.

– WWE has announced shows for the Redding Convention Center in Redding, California on June 7th, 2008 and the Stockton Arena in Stockton, California on June 8th, 2008.

– WWE issued this press release yesterday.

WWE® Asks Presidential Candidates To Address The Issues
May 2, 2008

STAMFORD, Conn., May 2, 2008 – WWE’s Smackdown Your Vote! today released the 2008 18-30 Voter Issues Paper (VIP), a guide to help young adults articulate the issues important to them in this national election, and a platform through which the candidates can provide their responses to issues important to this voting demographic. The 18-30 VIP addresses the economy, Iraq war, education, health care, and the environment as the most important issues on the minds of young voters.

To date, the 18-30 VIP has been provided to candidates Sen. John McCain, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama to obtain their responses. In 2004, when the 18-30 VIP was first issued by Smackdown Your Vote!, presidential candidates President George W. Bush, Sen. John Kerry, Ralph Nader and Michael Badnarik all responded to the questions posed in the 18-30 VIP. Their answers were provided to college groups, voting organizations, online sources, educators and the general public to encourage young adults to vote in the 2004 election. Turnout of 18-to 24-year-old voters increased by 11 percent to approximately 11.6 million in the 2004 election.

“WWE greatly appreciates Senators McCain, Clinton and Obama for taking the time to speak directly to our audience of young voters on a recent ‘Monday Night RAW®,’ which received a tremendous response,” said Gary Davis, WWE Vice President, Corporate Communications and Executive Director of Smackdown Your Vote! “We now ask these candidates to lay out their positions on issues critical to 18 to 30 year olds in this election by addressing the questions posed by our national 18-30 Voter Issues Paper.”

Through its Smackdown Your Vote! program established in 2000, WWE continues to encourage civic engagement. In addition to WWE, partners in the creation of the 2008 18-30 VIP include: CIRCLE, Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, the League of Women Voters, Mobilize.org, mun2, New Voters Project, PIRG, Rock the Vote, Sacred Heart University, and the University of Virginia’s Youth Leadership Initiative.

The 18-30 VIP is downloadable in English and Spanish language versions through www.smackdownyourvote.com and printed copies are available upon request.

To view the VIP pamphlet in English please click here, http://vote.wwe.com/documents/27270_VIP_pamphlet.pdf.

To view the VIP pamphlet in Spanish, please click here, http://vote.wwe.com/documents/28719_VIP_SpanishBklt_SCREEN.pdf.