Anyone Else Solicited by "Friends of John Kerry"?

[Tarheel_Dem]

I happened to be home this afternoon, just chilling & enjoying my darvocet high after a dental procedure this a.m. I was reading DU, and listening to Al Franken when the phone rings. The gentleman asks for me by name, and he tells me that he is calling on behalf of "Friends of John Kerry", he begins to read from a prepared statement, and finally asks me if I want to make a $250 contribution to return Dems to the majority this election cycle.

I explained to him that I prefer to donate to on a race by race basis. He then snarkily asked me if there was a reason why I wouldn't donate "over the phone" to help all Dem candidates. I told him that I prefer to donate to candidates of my own choosing. The phone goes "click"...he hung up on me! Not a word of thanks for my time, no phone number where I could confirm that he was who he said he was. It was an all around discourteous call. If this is an example of the caliber of people that John Kerry has phonebanking for him, I'd like to know who I can contact to complain. It was a very suspicious call.

Anyone else been contacted lately?

[catmother]

1. not kerry. but i've gotten mail from "friends of hillary". i get

e-mails every date from the various candidates asking for money. i've given some. but i'm not rich and cannot give to all.

i got an e-mail from jim pederson's wife (democrat challenging Kyl). it was about 2 weeks ago. she talked about what we could do for jim's 64th birthday. i figured sign a card or something. anyway she said it would be nice if each of us could give $64.00.

i'm suspicious of the people who call. i think some of them are getting a cut of how much they can collect. i have caller id and i see some strange names and companies.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. Agreed....

I'm solicited by email & snail mail all the time, but I've never had a phone call. And besides, the guy didn't sound enthusiastic, and then he became argumentative because I wouldn't donate "over the phone"? It just all sounded very suspect to me. He may have been legit, but his phone manner was deplorable.

[lojasmo]

11. Friends of anybody who voted to allow Bush to go to war....

Are no friends of mine, and will NEVER get my hard earned $$$

[emulatorloo]

14. Kerry and other dems have renounced their votes

And then there is that whole Niger Forged Documents, Fixed Intelligence, etc etc, that said Saddam had or wanted Nukes, none of which Democrats did. I believe that was the republicans who did that/

[lojasmo]

35. I don't really care.

Renouncing one's own vote is okay, but I won't support a senator/congressperson who got fooled by * or who made a triangulating vote supporting war.

[uppityperson]

2. not I, could be a scam.

caller ID #?

[wicket]

3. I've gotten several calls from them

And they have always been very polite when I tell them I can't donate at this time. They always show up on the caller ID though...

[Tarheel_Dem]

9. Caller ID didn't identify....

"OUT OF AREA"; 000-000-0000 <- That's all that showed up.....

[mtnester]

26. Potential scam - by law they have to be identified some way

I have never been verbally assaulted by anyone calling to ask for contributions for the DNC or any other Dem candidate. Some times I have said yes, and some times no, but no one has ever been rude when I say I can't or won't. And who they are is CLEARLY identified on my caller ID.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. This gentleman certainly needs to work on his people skills

I'm sure that he's a volunteer and thus they can't threaten to fire him, but somebody should speak to him. Just hanging up the phone is a great way to piss off potential donors.

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. You're right HT....

I have been a frequent visitor & contributor at JK's website, but I just thought this guy was rude. That was the point I was making, and the fact that caller ID didn't identify the caller. I hope my post won't be considered flame-bait, because that's not what I intended. I've already been accused of that.

[sandnsea]

6. Here we go again

This is kind of an old smear against John Kerry, might want to update your files.

[NYCGirl]

10. Why is that a smear against Kerry? He wasn't the one calling. NT

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. I'm sorry S&S....

but this isn't a smear. I was just curious, since I've never been contacted by phone before, if anyone else had been. Let me state, unequivocally, I LOVE JOHN KERRY, and nearly went bankrupt (not really) helping to get him elected.

Maybe you have a reason for being super sensitive, but this wasn't meant to stir up anti-Kerry sentiment. But, merely to find out if anyone else had been contacted by this group.

:toast:

[sandnsea]

16. Because this smear went on for months last year

And oh yes there's always the I worked hard for John Kerry bla bla bla that accompanies the innocent questionings that just happen to name somebody specific and the feigned shock that anybody would question the motives behind it all.

It isn't just John Kerry, it goes on against all sorts of Democrats, the party as a whole, it is just beyond nauseating and sickening.

[Tarheel_Dem]

18. I'm sorry....but I missed this particular smear....

As I said, my o.p. was not meant to inflame or open old wounds, and I'm sorry that I can't convey to you the sincerity of my support for JK during his run for the presidency. But, why should I have to? I understand that the primaries were a very contentious time around here, but that's in the past.

JK was the nominee, I supported him, both in spirit and monetarily. I don't know why I feel the need to justify myself to you, but I honestly thought it was a very strange call, and the fact that no information displayed on caller i.d. was even stranger. I just thought that maybe other DU'ers had been contacted by the same group, and maybe had the same experience. Sorry.

[sandnsea]

20. Well then

Since you are such a supporter of John Kerry you won't mind that any thought of launching this particular smear again has been effectively nipped in the bud. Sorry you're the one that had to be the example of it.

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. It's not a smear against Kerry

:eyes:

It's a legitimate question and alerts others to a possible scam going on. I'd be suspicious of any call asking for political donations over the phone (or anything else, for that matter). Asking for a pledge and sending out documents to get that money is wholly different than asking for your credit card number and personal info.

[sandnsea]

19. Except we went through this last year

For months and months and this person was registered in 2004 so it isn't as if they're new.

[Norquist Nemesis]

23. Yes, I recall that

I still don't think the OP's intent is to smear Kerry. What we went through last year has nothing to do with this today, IMO.

[Tarheel_Dem]

24. Yes I was registered in 2004....

but excuse me if I have a life outside of DU (which I why I still have less than 1000 posts). And to think, I usually agree with you. I'm sorry that I struck some kinda nerve, but how many ways can I state that my post was not meant to cause a flame-fest?

[Norquist Nemesis]

25. TD

*breathe* *let it roll down your back*

I don't think you had any ill intent toward JK in any way. :)

[Tarheel_Dem]

29. Thanks....NN,

that was not the purpose of my post at all. Just wanted to gauge if any others had been contacted, and what their experience was like. This is the first post I've authored since finding DU, and the majority of the posts have been very polite.

I'm old, and I like for people to observe the usual courtesies, which is why I don't engage or join in on flame-bait.

[sandnsea]

33. Yes I already said that

We've nipped this in the bud if anybody did get the bright idea to resurrect this smear, and I'm sorry you're the one that had to suffer because other people have done this in the past. Sincerely sorry.

[Dr.Phool]

34. Ignore the flames

I haven't had any from Friends of John Kerry yet, but I've been contacted by both the DCCC and DSCC, and have told them the same thing. I'll donate to candidates of my choosing from now on. But, they were always polite and cordial when I explained why.

And that's why they call. Because we're proven donors.

[Synnical]

7. They hung up on me, too

When I told them I could not donate anything at this time. Really irritated me.

[mdmc]

8. fundraisers call all the time

just like the one you spoke to.

[ginnyinWI]

15. I got a very nice call from Keeping America's Promise yesterday

The man was very polite and not at all pushy. He pointed out that even though I had given them some money five weeks ago, the upcoming elections were very important and wondered if I would like to match my contribution again.

He did NOT ask for $250 or try to put pressure on me and said he would understand if I could not give more at that time. So I did give more--I have a donating budget and felt I might as well give it in time for it to be used effectively. I'll stop when that amount is given. I'm splitting all my giving between the local party needs and Keeping America's Promise.

KAP is not the same group as "Friends of John Kerry" (although it is associated with him)--I'm saying that KAP is calling now, but maybe not FJK--might have been bogus. Especially when they are rude or hang up on you!

[catmother]

21. i always donate to the Humane Society, but i've gotten calls

that are not recognizale on the caller ID. i told the person i had just made a donation on-line and she was very surprised. so again, i think sometimes they hire telemarketers.

[sendero]

22. The only reason I don't..

... is that I no longer answer any call I can't identify with caller ID :)

[catmandu57]

27. I remember hearing about this organization before

If I'm remembering correctly there was something fishy about them, and from their telephone manner I may be correct. Usually when someone calls solicting from me I ask for their web address, and tell them if I like what I read then I'll contribute there.

[Tarheel_Dem]

28. Sounds like a very reasonable response......

Usually, when I'm solicited by phone, for a credit card, life insurance, or magazine subscription they are very polite, and always leave a number to phone if you have questions about the call or the caller. Very strange indeed.

[Sal Minella]

30. This sounds good.

"Friends of Saving Downtown Shopping" is a common title for the monster strip-mall development building just outside the city limits -- I would check the website before I send them a dime.

[SammyBlue]

31. Just called Friends for John Kerry. They do phone call

However, if you do not want calls, they will put you on a do not call list.

[Bluebear]

32. "Friends of Dorothy" keeps calling me

They aren't looking for donations, though.