Kennedy, Kerry donate $1 million to Democratic campaign committees

[Coexist]

Damn, Massachusetts gentlemen are the best, are they not?

Thanks to TPM for the link.

Story Here

BOSTON (AP) - Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry are tapping their sizable campaign warchests in an effort to elect a Democratic Congress.

The Massachusetts Democrats donated 500-thousand dollars apiece, half to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and half to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Each works on behalf of the party to elect members to the respective chambers.

Democrats believe they have a chance this fall to regain majority control in each chamber.

A Kennedy spokeswoman says the senator believes that November seventh is a critical opportunity to reverse what he calls the damage done by the Bush Administration.

Kerry spokesman David Wade says Kerry wants to make sure Democrats have a chance to put America on the right track.

[DainBramaged]

1. Drops in the proverbial bucket for these two

Sorry, Kerry is holding on to millions for himself in 08. I think he will be disappointed. Teddy, well, he could do better too.

Our FUTURE is at stake. I wish I had the money to give. Would spend it all for our well being and freedom from the Booshies.

[sallyseven]

3. I think your over the top here

Kerry has been raising millions for the party going from one state to the next. Kennedy is also. Kerry has raised 11,000.000 for the democrats and given from his campaign funds. Get your facts straight. Some of our congress critters here in mass could loosen their purse strings but won't. Some want to run for Senator so they hang on. I am sick and tired of the Kerry bashing. Who the hell do you think you are. Have you done anything for the Democrats? Kerry is the best one out there and don't forget it.

[DainBramaged]

4. No I am not, he had to be humiliated to dip into his war chest.

Until Kos, Ameriblog and others began to question why he hadn't used his millions remaining from the 2004 campaign, he wouldn't have donated a dime.

[ProSense]

6. They had nothing to do with it!

Kerry has already given more than $12 million to candidates and 2.5 million to the Democratic committees, not to mention the cost of campaigning for candidates across the country.

http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=24686

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2907084&mesg_id=2907084

[WildEyedLiberal]

10. Wow, what bullshit

Do you get all your "facts" from Kos?

FACT: Kerry donated $2.5 million right after the election.

FACT: Kerry has raised over $11 million dollars for Democratic candidates in 2006.

FACT: Kerry's given MORE of his net percentage of cash on hand and raised FAR more than ANY OTHER DEMOCRAT. Period. End of sentence.

Getting your news on Kerry from Kos and Americablog is about as reliable as getting it from Hannity and Limbaugh. Their hatred for Kerry and contempt of facts in their rush to condemn him is comparable.

The FACTS I stated are all a matter of public record. You could look them up for yourself if you gave a shit about the truth instead of some half-baked lie peddled by the unprincipled Markos Moulitsas.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[TayTay]

13. That is untrue.

Kos had nothing to do with it. The Kos campaign may have played well on the internet, but it did not play well in many places out in the 'real world.'

The campaign to get some other Democrats to give money could backfire. Cong. Marty Meehan is a target of blogs who want him to share the wealth. The largest newspaper in the Cong's district, the conservative Lowell Sun, wrote this editorial on 10/26:

The attack on Meehan has exposed MoveOn.org for the cheap-shot blog artists they truly are. Most of what they spew on the Internet isn't even credible. In Meehan's case, the facts show he's done his fair share for the DCCC and party candidates.

First, the DCCC assessed Meehan $125,000 in party dues for the 2005-2006 election cycle, and the congressman paid up in full.

Second, Meehan also raised another $240,000 for the DCCC. On the local level, Meehan has raised $25,000 for gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick and has two more fundraisers scheduled.

Third, Meehan was the first Democrat in Congress to write a comprehensive Iraq war exit strategy for U.S troops. He doesn't have to pay up-front money to MoveOn.org to prove his point.

Meehan is a convenient MoveOn.org target because he has amassed the largest campaign war chest in the House and doesn't face a November challenger. But the bloggers overlook a crucial point: Donors contributed to Meehan because they support his political beliefs. Why should their donations go to a far-flung candidate who can't be expected to put the interests of Meehan's donors above his own?

http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_4554107

You may want Dems to 'share the wealth' and give more money. There are counter-arguments and the actual campaign against Democrats, especially when it seems to come from animosity rather than a polite appeal, can backfire.

[DainBramaged]

5. Kerry is the "best" out there and who the hell am I?

You are so funny. some days, you wonder who the hell people think they are. Good luck with your life. Kerry was once our best, now he's done. he had his chance, and he and his handlers blew it.

Oh, and its "you're" not your

[LSK]

8. I find it amazing that Kerry accountants post on DU

:eyes:

[AtomicKitten]

11. there are facts and then there are facts

From the Boston Globe 10/21/06: "Kerry Pressured to Share Campaign Wealth"
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/10/21/kerry_is_pressured_to_share_campaign_wealth/?page=1

"Critics in his own party excoriated Kerry for leaving $16 million in the bank after his 2004 presidential campaign. Though federal spending limits kept him from using it all on his own campaign, he could have given away what the law said he couldn't spend; that year, Democrats lost seats in both the House and the Senate.

Kerry aides said the senator saved the cash to cover leftover presidential campaign bills and to pay for lawyers in case he had to challenge voting irregularities in some states or if his race against President Bush had to be settled in court.

Though he quickly kicked in (2004) $1 million to the DSCC, gave $500,000 to the DCCC, and $1 million to the Democratic National Committee, Kerry has held on to the bulk of his campaign money as he prepares for a possible second run at the White House in 2008.

Last month, when DSCC officials asked all Democratic senators for last-call financial contributions before Election Day, Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts was among three lawmakers who donated $1 million each. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York signed a check for $2 million.

Kerry, however, kept his checkbook shut. The senator's aides said he has no plans to give again.

Jerry Lundergan, chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party, said he contacted Kerry's advisers on Thursday, urging them to tell the senator how much the congressional campaigns need his money.

"I have made my wishes known," said Lundergan, whose state features two close House races in which Democrats have a good chance to oust incumbent Republicans. "It's his money to do with what he wants to. But I only hope that he shares some of it with those states, such as Kentucky, which contributed very extensively to his campaign.""

[ProSense]

12. Facts:

Many prominent Democrats, including DCCC chairman Rahm Emanuel, an Illinois Democrat, have praised Kerry for spending his time and money helping candidates. Hassan Nemazee , the DSCC's national finance chairman, said criticism of Kerry is misguided.

"People have notoriously short memories in this business," Nemazee said. "Cumulatively, John Kerry has done as much if not more than any other individual senator."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/10/21/kerry_is_pressured_to_share_campaign_wealth/?page=2

$900,000 more directly to candidates:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2907084&mesg_id=2907084

[WildEyedLiberal]

14. So he's donated at least $3 million per your link

That's not including the more than $11 million he's raised directly for other candidates in 2006 - not including the almost $1 million he raised for Webb, McCaskill, Menendez, and Ford over just 48 hours. Who else has raised nearly a million for actual Dem candidates in 2006 in under 2 days?

Thanks for continuing to help prove that Kerry is the most generous Democrat out there.

[babylonsister]

9. You seem to be well named, my friend, give or take a few letters.

Ha ha. :eyes: Please do a search on Senator Kerry and what he's done lately. You'd be pleasantly surprised.

[DainBramaged]

17. I am no longer surprised, time for him to go away.

He played a bad game in '04. And NONE of this would be happening if we had our druthers in 2000. Doormat, washed up, stick a fork in him. My opinion, if you don't like it, oh well, time to MOVE ON.

[ProSense]

18. I say that too!

Kerry is doing more than anyone. I still support him. Those who don't like it, move the fuck on!

Works both ways!

[wisteria]

2. Woo Hoo! Truely team players. Go Dem's!!! n/t

[robinlynne]

7. We have been writing kerry to use OUR 7million recount money!!!!

He has been holding onto it for 2 years. We raised it for the election of 2004 recounts!

[blm]

15. I think you don't understand campaign law. Don't agree with it? Change it.

But don't blame Kerry for it.

The 14 million Kerry did have left has been depleted by various large donations to Dem organizations and candidate assistance since the earliest part of the cycle, starting with 250,000 to Gregoire to finance her recount, and also used dollars to cover his ongoing court cases in Ohio.

That extra money happened to be leftover campaign dollars collected just before his acceptance speech at convention, where the moment he accepted he was obligated UNDER LAW to ONLY use federal dollars. Fed dollars that would be kicking in for Bush 5 weeks later.

That money that was still coming in late July would still be considered primary campaign dollars. That's just the way it is.

Kerry did everything he could legally do in Ohio - you don't like it - neither do I, so work to CHANGE THE LAW.