Kerry donation gets hammered

The Boston Herald ^ | 4/13/03 | The Buzz column

[Gothmog]

Senator puts his charitable image on auction block

U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, who was scorched in his 1996 campaign for making only piddling donations to charity, apparently hasn't gotten any more generous since deciding he wanted to become president.

At a recent charity event for Holy Name Parish School in West Roxbury, Kerry was among a slew of politicians, businesses and others who chipped in items for a ``Reach for the Stars'' auction.

Most of the pols and corporate bigwigs donated expensive dinners, tickets or other valuable items for the auction, which raised money for science and reading textbooks.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino graciously submitted an exclusive catered dinner at the Parkman House. U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston) offered a personal tour of the White House and a lunch in the House member's dining room - an item valued as ``priceless'' by auction organizers.

City Councilor John Tobin came through with a coveted pair of Red Sox tickets in the new Green Monster seats. U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and the Stenger family offered a painting by Kennedy of his boat, ``The Maya.''

Other auction items included Celtics tickets, a round of golf at the prestigious Country Club in Brookline and a weekend at a Nantucket inn.

So what did Kerry offer?

An 8 x 10 autographed photo - of himself.

The winning bid was a grand total of $18, according to sources. That would pay for about one chapter of a textbook.

``It was either the signed photo or personal guitar lessons from Sen. Kerry,'' said Kerry spokesman Kyle Sullivan. ``We thought the photo had more value.''

Thanks, John.

[friendly]

Mrs. Heinz is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The junior senator might be worth a couple of million at best.

Absolutely true. But Crazy Lady bankrolls Ketchup Boy's politics somewhat.

[Cultural Jihad]

Here's the lesson he wants everyone to learn: "Be narcissistic, self-centered, and cheap, like I am!" (Is his running mate going to be Harry Browne?)

[Nevermore]

I can appreciate that it is "her" money, not his. But he's trying to convince America that, as a millionaire in his own right, he can't pony up more than a publicity photo? Not even a weekend on Cape Cod or "Skull & Bones" T-shirt?! Oh, yeah. That's believable...