Discovery Channel Taps Relatives and Fans of the Top Five Greatest Americans to Make Their Case

Discovery Channel Taps Relatives and Fans of the Top Five Greatest Americans to Make Their Case

SILVER SPRINGS, Md., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: This Sunday, June 26th, from 9-10 PM (ET) Discovery Channel's GREATEST AMERICAN will give viewers ONE MORE CHANCE to cast their vote for the person they think most influenced the way we think, work and live.

The race is currently neck and neck with Ronald Reagan in the lead. Viewers will be able to vote up to and then into the first 10 minutes of the show to determine the outcome on LIVE television.

Relatives and advocates of the final five candidates will be joining host Matt Lauer for the culmination of this national debate.

Relatives include: * Ron Reagan - President Reagan's son * John Washington - ancestral nephew of George Washington * Congressman Mike Castle - 5th Great Grandson of Benjamin Franklin

Advocates include: * Doris Kearns Goodwin - author, historian and Lincoln advocate * Toure - novelist, editor of Rolling Stone, and Martin Luther King Jr. advocate * Tom Westman - "Survivor" winner, fire fighter and Benjamin Franklin advocate * Floyd G. Brown - author and Reagan advocate

Each will try to persuade viewers to name their favorite greatest American of all time.

VOTE: Go onto aol.com/greatestamerican, or use the phone and text methods listed below to vote for your favorite candidate. Tune in Sunday, June 26 and find out who America chooses as the #1 Greatest American. ** All candidates have the same 5-digit text number 66931. **

Top 5 GREATEST AMERICANS (in alphabetical order)

Benjamin Franklin -- Call 1-866-669-3101 -OR- Text 66931 - FRANKLIN

Martin Luther King Jr. -- Call 1-866-669-3102 -OR- Text 66931 - KING

Abraham Lincoln -- Call 1-866-669-3103 -OR- Text 66931 - LINCOLN

Ronald Reagan -- Call 1-866-669-3104 -OR- Text 66931 - REAGAN

George Washington -- Call 1-866-669-3105 -OR- Text 66931 - WASHINGTON

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050624/SFF035 )

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050624/SFF035 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN8 PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: Discovery Channel

CONTACT: Ha Thai, +1-415-348-2725, or thaih@ruderfinnswitzer.com, for Discovery Channel

Web site: http://www.aol.com/greatestamerican

NOTE TO EDITORS: Interviews, photos, quotes and clips from the series available upon request.

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