Heinz Seeks to Disavow Kerry Connection

AP | 3/29/04 | Charles Sheehan

[The South Texan]

Heinz Seeks to Disavow Kerry Connection

By CHARLES SHEEHAN, AP Business Writer

PITTSBURGH - H.J. Heinz Co. has launched an election-year campaign of its own, this one to distance the ketchup maker from what is shaping up to be an acrimonious presidential race.

The company has sent nearly 50 letters to radio and television talk shows nationwide to tamp down chatter on the airwaves and Internet suggesting revenue from ketchup sales will benefit the campaign of pending Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites).

His wife is Teresa Heinz Kerry, heiress to the $500 million family ketchup fortune.

The company has received about 150 calls this month from consumers vowing to boycott Heinz products, or in some instances to buy more, said company spokeswoman Debbie Foster.

"It's just crazy," Foster said. "We haven't been involved in politics since Morris the Cat ran for president in 1988" — when the company ran a spoof campaign with Morris, the face of Heinz 9 Lives cat food, as the finicky candidate.

Heinz Kerry, who was married to Republican Senator H. John Heinz III when he was killed in a 1991 plane crash, is not on Heinz's board and is in no way involved with company management, Foster said.

Collectively, Heinz Kerry, along with her children with John Heinz and The Heinz Endowments which she chairs, own less than 4 percent of outstanding company stock.

The company has not seen any effect on sales. But it took action after The Heinz Endowments was accused of funding Peaceful Tomorrows, a group for Sept. 11 victims' families that criticized President Bush (news - web sites)'s use of footage from the attacks in political ads.

The Heinz Endowments President Maxwell King and David Potorti, co-director at Peaceful Tomorrows, have repeatedly denied any link.

While many talk shows have since backed away from those claims, Internet chat rooms are still buzzing with calls for a Heinz boycott.

[The South Texan]

Gee, I wonder what internet chatrooms they are talking about?

Good job FR!

[truthandlife]

Bottom line must really being affected if they are puting out press releases like this.

[cinnathepoet]

Ketchup Boy

[Happy2BMe]

"Heinz Seeks to Disavow Kerry Connection"

Uh bouy . . . .

DO YOU WANT KETCHUP WITH THOSE LIES!?

[Crawdad]

Short Heinz. Go long on Hunts.

[Rokke]

Bwaahahhaha. I guess Heinz is little worried about name association. I would imagine that any company tied to Dukakis was sending out similar messages the morning after the tank test drive.

[John Thornton]

The Heinz Endowments President Maxwell King and David Potorti, co-director at Peaceful Tomorrows, have repeatedly denied any link.

Yeah, they "denied" a link---but is there a link? As someone said, Reporters aren't that stupid---but they think we are.

[John Thornton]

The Heinz Endowments President Maxwell King and David Potorti, co-director at Peaceful Tomorrows, have repeatedly denied any link.

Yeah, they "denied" a link---but is there a link? As someone said, Reporters aren't that stupid---but they think we are.

[Joee]

I've been eating Heinz products for 75 years now. As of the advent of The Lurch (Kerry) Del Monte now graces my table. My daughters have switched too. NO MAS!

[Objective Reality]

Really only one question needs to be asked. Does Heinz-Kerry draw a paycheck, dividends, interest, whatever, from the Heinz corporation? If so, that's reason enough. If not, let them prove it.

This also speaks volumes as far as the Heinz corp. knowing which side their bread's buttered on. Wasn't there a study showing that married people with children vote overwhelmingly Republican?

[GeronL]

Buy Hunts! Okay they might support the left too.... but anyone make their own??

[familyofman]

"Collectively, Heinz Kerry, along with her children with John Heinz and The Heinz Endowments which she chairs, own less than 4 percent of outstanding company stock." This is a point I have been making for weeks.

Reading for content makes me beleive the Kerry's don't get too involved in company matters. Boycotting this company seems really silly & irrational. FR has way too many boycotts already.

[Objective Reality]

Collectively, Heinz Kerry, along with her children with John Heinz and The Heinz Endowments which she chairs, own less than 4 percent of outstanding company stock.

Good LORD!!! FOUR PERCENT of the goldamned HEINZ CORPORATION?!?!!!? Can I have FOUR PERCENT of the HEINZ CORPORATION, since it's such a paltry pittance?!?!

God Almighty, give me FOUR PERCENT of the GoodFlow Juice corporation, and I'll never have to punch a clock again!

[PhiKapMom]

I went to using Hunts as soon as I found out about Teresa Heinz. They were not getting any more of my money until they disavowed her.

[Godfollow]

and Bush beans...

[Redcoat LI]

[VadeRetro]

Saw this headline and thought, "What? Is she divorcing him?"

[Libertina]

Clever!

[workerbee]

The company has not seen any effect on sales.

Hrmph... they didn't get my $2.50 tonight. I went with Hunts, thank you very much.

[Pilsner]

What I want is to be able to buy a bottle of the ketchup you get in those little plastic containers at Whataburger.