Save for laterAn infectious fundraising pitch has helped throw cold water on the notion that politicians today just don’t care about anything.
The social media-dominating “Ice Bucket Challenge,” a call to arms originally issued by Beverly, Massachusetts native and baseball star Pete Frates, has struck a chord with supporters ranging from sports team mascots to American political royalty.
Fans of Frates, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — the nerve-wracking malady better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — in spring 2012, have fallen in line behind an awareness raising effort that includes: 1) recording a video wherein ice cold water is dumped on one’s head, 2) contributing $100 to further ALS research (instead of taking the ice bath) and 3) nominating friends/family/acquaintances to do the same within 24 hours.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., appears to have been one of the earliest adopters of the shocking exercise (he got doused on June 30).
His contributions, however, benefited the Wounded Warrior Project rather than the ALS community.
Congressional alumni cum New Hampshire Senate hopeful Scott P. Brown took the plunge on Aug. 6.
The one-time Massachusetts Republican threw ex-Rep. Jeb Bradley, R-N.H., into the mix.
Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, D-Mass., got his feet wet (along with everything else) a day later.
He urged Reps. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, to follow suit. Team Gabbard told HOH they’d check on the status of the boss’ date with a bone-chilling deluge; Mullin’s office did not respond to questions about the charitable outreach.
Ex-Sen. Mo Cowan, D-Mass., vowed to take his medicine on Aug. 9.
So .@ryanoferguson issued #IceBucketChallenge. I accept & will deliver in next 24hrs. But I need your help: #WhomShouldIChallenge
— Mo Cowan (@mocowan) August 9, 2014
But we have yet to see evidence of any frigid droplets trailing down one of his fashionable neckties .
Democrat Aaron Woolf, the aspiring pol in the race to replace retiring Rep. Bill Owens, D-N.Y., got the whole family in on the act this past weekend.
Rep. David Cicilline made a splash on Monday by tossing fellow Rhode Island Democrats Jim Langevin, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse into the fray.
A Langevin spokeswoman said he plans to douse himself Tuesday and would be donating $100 to the cause. He is expected to recruit Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and ex-Reps. Patrick J. Kennedy, D-R.I., and Bob Weygand, D-R.I., to keep the chain going.
Patrick likely knows what’s coming, given that the extended Kennedy clan dumped on itself over the weekend. Grandma Ethel even put President Barack Obama on notice.
Word appears to have made it back to the vacationing 44.
We asked the White House whether Obama would accept Ethel Kennedy’s ALS bucket challenge. Here is their response: pic.twitter.com/Z5d84ti9xk
— Matt Viser (@mviser) August 12, 2014
And while it would be wonderful to believe that something like this could bring all parties together, there are those who believe, quite rightly, that this is a no-win situation for POTUS.
People criticizing Obama re: #IceBucketChallenge are the same who'd criticize him for dumping water on his head when there are wars going on
— Colin Steele (@colinsteele) August 12, 2014
Best of luck, Team Frate Train.
Related stories:
Roll Caller Throws #IceBucketChallenge to Wasserman Schultz Election Map: Race Ratings for Every Seat Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone.