Kerry

[jillan]

must be feeling pretty down right now.

Think about it. Here he is raising all this money for the dems to take control. He has been all over the country doing what he can to help the dems win. Then this happened. All his efforts have been put to a halt. He probably feels terrible.

Anybody know where he is? Maybe we can all chip in and
send him flowers (?) or something to cheer him up. Let him know
that he is appreciated and there are people out there that still support him.

[sandnsea]

1. You're amazing

Everything you're going through and you think of this. :hug: Sounds like a great idea.

[jillan]

2. Hey - it's my bleeding liberal heart

:hug: back at ya!

[WildEyedLiberal]

3. I'm in.

I'm with Kerry come hell or high water. A KAP person called me today, and while I am broke as crap, I did tell her that I definitely supported John Kerry and when I had extra money I made sure to donate it through KAP to show my support for JK.

[wisteria]

4. Absolutely, I am in. n/t

[jillan]

5. I'm having a better idear

Let's have them delivered to him at the Senate on the first day back.
Maybe get this going in GD so more people will chip in.
Can you imagine the look on Hillary's face when Kerry gets a ton of flowers?

or do you think he needs them more now?

Thoughts?

[sandnsea]

6. Yeah - something like that

Something symbolic - not sure what exactly, but yeah. We have to show her and the entire Senate that we know what fight and loyalty and INTEGRITY really means.

[wisteria]

7. How about if we give her a couple wilted black roses.?

[Democrafty]

8. Like the Boxer Rebellion?

That would be great.

[_dynamicdems]

10. In the meantime we can send him thank you cards.

I'm donating $20.06 and adding a thank you note for helping candidates take back Congress.

[Inuca]

21. Can you....

... donate fractional amounts online? I think that I tried at some point and it came back asking me to correct the amount.

[_dynamicdems]

33. Yes. I've donated $20.08 a couple of times and had no problem. n/t

[_dynamicdems]

9. Count me in!

This is a wonderful idea.

[Luftmensch067]

11. I'd love to help

Donations to KAP plus some tangible thank you sound good, but I'm in on anything you all decide on.

[globalvillage]

12. I'm in.

Whatever you guys decide, I'm in.

[babylonsister]

13. Great idea, pirhana. I have been thinking about

the good senator and what an underserved slap in the face this was to him.
I also wonder if he mourns the end of his friendship with McCain, though that might
have ended awhile ago. At least Kerry still has his dignity, unlike McCain, and he did
bring the war into the conversation.
I'm in for whatever anyone decides, and thanks.

[beachmom]

14. I'm in. But flowers? For a guy? I'm not sure about that.

Still, I think continuing to comment on the Kerry blog is something everyone can do now, but whatever you guys decide for a gift, I'm in.

[karynnj]

15. I'm in - but I think it should be contributions to Democrats

through KAP with notes to Kerry saying we support him, recognize his strength, leadershipship....etc. Sending flowers diverts money from the race and is a gift he has to deal with. It becomes public though which is a good thing.

I actually feel better about it today as it clearly is turning. It is clear that it is being seen more as a RW attempt to distort. The internal poll numbers for candidates are likely showing that this is a wash or possibly a slight negative to the Republicans - or you wouldn't have the Carville types speaking as they are. Kean is apparently trying to use it against Menendez - which is really desperate - fake outrage quilt by association because they share the same Iraq position? In NJ shifting to mentioning Iraq helps Menendez.

The outraged comments followed by the calm dignified apology to those military concievably caught in the middle may have been exactly the way to go. The outrage exposed the facts that it was a lie and that Kerry would never disparage the military. The apology was a gracious reaching out to those offended and not involved.

[whometense]

17. I agree.

Donations in his name would be perfect, and I'm certain that would be what he'd prefer.

[Mass]

18. I agree...

[wisteria]

23. Good idea. n/t

[Inuca]

16. Me too

I was thinking the exact same thing a few minutes ago as I was reading a depressing LAT article. Another "whatever you decide", but we/somebody must decide and soon. I think I am more inclined toward something now rather then when the Senate is back in session (when will that be, by the way?). But I have no idea what and how, I am very bad at this kind of thing, I even have problems with gifts for my husband or very close friends. And if it is for soon, we must definitely find out where he is and will be likely to be in the near future. Should somebody from MA call his office? By the way, I do not think that flowers are necessarily bad for a man, but again, I am not good with this kind of thing. But I definitely think that we should try to do something. Whether it lifts or not his spirits (I heard snippets from the Imus interview last night, and his voice was painful to hear to my ears at least), I selfishly think it will at least lift ours :-)

[MH1]

19. Thank you for suggesting this

I'm with others in thinking flowers aren't the best thing, but not sure what is. So I'm thinking, what do we want to accomplish?

1) let him know we support him all the way

2) if possible, let OTHERS know that we support him all the way

3) If we could come up with some way that also conveys appreciation for what he HAS done over the years for the military and veterans, I think that would be the best of all.

I think the Senate is back in session on Nov. 9. While it would be great to do something that day, it would be nice to do something sooner. Maybe we can only hit objective #1 with something quick, and figure out something for Nov 9 that hits the other 2. (that would probably require some help from someone on "the inside")

I don't know if the above is coherent enough to do anything with. I'm just kind of kicking some ideas out. Whatever anyone comes up with, I'm in.

Fwiw, I'm terribly upset at this - as I'm sure everyone else here is - John Kerry has been one of the great public servants of our time, and what was done here is an attack not just on John Kerry, but on all of us who wish to make politics about improving people's lives rather than about furthering an ideology. I have reached a new level of disgust for the depths to which the political discourse in this country has sunk, and the extent to which evil is manipulating our futures. I don't know yet what I'm going to do about it. This is not the America I was taught to believe in by my parents.

[MBS]

26. l love your last paragraph, MH 1

and I agree 100%.

Please also count me in for any collective gesture. . in the meantime, I'm making donations to KAP and to 3 individual races, and explicitly doing so in name of John Kerry. I also wrote his deputy press secretary to transmit my good wishes and thanks to Sen. Kerry. . .

[ProSense]

20. Great idea! How about:

(with a Navy tee, click image)

or chocolate!

[StoryTeller]

22. I'm in, too!

This thought occurred to me yesterday, too, but I didn't post it. Thanks, Pirhana, for taking the initiative to mention it.

I agree that we should do something now that relates to donations. I was thinking a whole slew of encouragement cards with checks to KAP in them, but it would be nice to get that money there quicker than that.

What about a group e-card? Is there any e-card service that will allow lots of people to sign onto the card and make donations to an organization? I checked Hallmark, which is what I normally use for e-cards, and I can't see any option for a cash gift.

As far as later--something public...I like the teddy bear idea. I like the chocolate idea, too. What about going through someplace like http://www.apromotionaloutlet.com/newsearch.html">A Promotional Outlet where we can design a t-shirt ourselves and then send the entire lot of teddy bears to him? That would be the equivalent of all the flowers, but if we did the t-shirt right, he could use the bears to give away to someplace--injured troops or a children's hospital or something?

You know, Veterans Day is November 11th. We could tie it in with that.

My only concern is that we don't want to do something that could open him up for criticism that he's politicizing anything about the troops. But I do think we should do something rather extravagent for him. :)

[jillan]

24. I'm open for ideas

But, does anyone know where he is?

I agree, he probably could use the cheering up now rather than later.

But I sure would like to make an impression the first day the senate is back in session. I imagine that is going to be a mighty uncomfortable day for him as well.

The only thing I am concerned about sending $ to his KAP is that I don't know how active he will be in donating to other dems at this point.

A ton of thankyou notes would be great too. Just something to cheer him up.

[TayTay]

25. The Senator is in Washington

according to the news anyway. He is not 'at home' as far as I know.

[jillan]

27. Do you know how we can get an address?

I really think we need to cheer him up. Soon.

[TayTay]

28. Ahm, that is not needed.

We can rely on the kindness of others. ;)

If we decide on a physical gift, then we have ways to get it to him. If we decide on a donation to say, a wounded veterans center or something, then we don't need a courier. (Though I think we could make sure Ted at the blog knows. ;)

[MH1]

32. Donation to a wounded veteran's center in JK's name

I think that would be an excellent idea.

I wonder how hard it would be to set up a site and ask all of DU (and maybe dailykos and others) to contribute, too?

If the technicalities have already been discussed upthread just ignore me. But I think the donation idea is great, and the more folks we can get to chip in, the better.

[emulatorloo]

29. Hey all -- a great idea. Personally I am going to call his office today and

express support for him. Can imagine they need to hear that right now.

[TayTay]

36. May I humbly suggest this place for donations

http://www.neshv.org/

New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans. They are in chronic need of funds and they are near and dear to the Senator's heart.



Ahm, you might like the message from our friend Max Clelend
http://www.neshv.org/va_leave_no_one_behind_2003.html

What say you, perhaps a donation here?

[beachmom]

37. I like your idea, Tay Tay -- the senator believes in real things

like money that helps homeless veterans. And somebody setting this up on left blogs. He would appreciate if inspired by his works, we all gave money to those in need.

[emulatorloo]

39. That's good tay tay -- what do you think, a group thing?

And you are sooooo right, Max deserves a note.

[karynnj]

43. This sounds like a really good idea

This sounds like really good idea- and it even has online donations. It looks like they let you say it's in honor of someone. It's nioe that it would be people who wish to honor the Senator doing this because we know he really cares about them.

[jillan]

30. What do you guys want to do?

Personally I would like to send him something-soon. Especially if some of you know how to find him.

I'll check in here tonite to see if anything has been decided.

[StoryTeller]

31. I like the idea of sending him...

chocolate chip cookies, personally. I posted that I found on Wikipedia that that's his favorite food. I'm looking up cookie bouquets on the internet right now. I wish we could send him homemade cookies, though.

I also like the idea of calling up the office and expressing support.

I also like the idea of donating to some sort of veterans group in his name, but I don't know much about which group or how to do it.

[sandnsea]

34. Cookie bouquets is good

I would really like something visible. Maybe a dozen cookie bouquets and a pledged amount to a veteran's group. There's a vets home in New Hampshire, I think, where he did some volunteer work in 2003. There's also the disabled vet center down in Texas that we did earlier. Something like that sounds perfect.

I had also thought of a bunch of red, white and blue carnations with little flags; and a big banner saying "Run John Run" and "No Surrender".

[Inuca]

44. I have to ask

what is a "cookie bouquet"?? Is there really such a thing or it's just a way to think of cookies as a flowers alternative?

[StoryTeller]

45. LOL! No, there really are cookie "bouquets"

If you Google cookie bouquet you can find some good examples. They put cookies on sticks and then add greenery, just like a flower bouquet. It's fun! :)

[_dynamicdems]

35. Senator Kerry's former cookie shop sends out chocolate chip cookies.

Senator Kerry used to own the cookie shop in Faneuil Hall and he used his mother's recipe for chocolate chip cookies. The shop is still there DBA as Maggie's Sweets and is still using the senator's recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

http://www.kilvertandforbesbakeshop.com/shop.html

You need to call for shipping and gift pricing and info, but they do send cookie gifts.

[StoryTeller]

38. Oh, I really like that idea!

It would have a personal connection--and we'd be sure that he'd love the cookies! :)

[wildflowergardener]

40. cookies

I like the cookie idea

How about sending some cookies to the shelter as well as a donation - if there is enough money. That way everyone there knows people care about them.

I'll donate - let me know where.

Meg

[StoryTeller]

41. Ooohh, good idea, too! (eom)

[politicasista]

42. Cool. I like that idea too

:yourock:

[YvonneCa]

46. Please...

...include me.:patriot:

[wisteria]

47. Has anything been decided?

I want to be a part of it. So keep me informed.

[StoryTeller]

48. See the thread TayTay started about...

places to donate to. I think the conversation sort of got continued over there.

As it stands, it looks like there's a consensus of making a donation to the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, and sending the Senator a big ol' batch of yummy chocolate chip cookies from Maggie's Sweets & Cookies in Boston (which apparently was originally a cookie shop owned by JK himself, featuring his mother's recipes, so it's infinitely appropriate. And choc. chip cookies are his favorite food.)

I'm going to send an email to the Community Outreach director at the NESHV tomorrow to see about getting the donation thing set up, and I think Tay is coordinating the cookie effort.

Fun, yes? :)

:party:

[TayTay]

49. Cookies are a go for tomorrow

Signed, sealed and they will be delivered.

[Island Blue]

50. Thanks for handling that Tay.

I think we should make the shop where the cookies came from a new stop on the All Things Kerry Boston Tour. We didn't make it there last year.

[MH1]

51. Yay!!!

:grouphug:

:yourock:

[StoryTeller]

53. Awesome!!!

So do tell--how many, what's the package look like, will there be a card, etc. I'm a detail person--love them juicy (or in this case, chocolatey) details. Are they the cookies from his mom's recipe? Did you tell them who it was for? If so, what did they say????

Give me the novel version, honey--not any short story. :D

Also, I second the suggestion that this cookie shop be include in our Boston ramble. I love chocolate chip cookies, too! (probably more than I ought to...*sigh*) :loveya:

[MBS]

54. thank you Tay Tay, pirhana, and storyteller

Great choices, and Tay Tay, tell me how I can contribute to cost of the cookies.(I assume we'll all hear about how to contribute to the NEVHS).
Thanks again for the creative work, and just plain work, you've done on this

[StoryTeller]

52. Hugs, High Fives, and Loud Cheers To Pirhana!!!!!

:toast: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :loveya: :hug: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause: :patriot: B-)

For getting this ball rolling! We are most certainly going to cheer up our favorite Senator--and it's all because you took the initiative and made the suggestion.

Thank you SO much!!!!

:loveya: :loveya: :hug: :hug: