President Richard Freeland is use to soliciting donors, but he has also had several experiences with making donations himself.
Freeland is among a list of Northeastern employees who have contributed to Sen. John F. Kerry’s campaign in the past two years, according to the Federal Election Commission’s Web site, www.fec.gov. Freeland also contributed to Kerry in 1998, while he was between Senate races.
Between Freeland, Provost Ahmed Abdelal and Vice President for Student Affairs Ed Klotzbier, there has been $9,850 worth of contributions to aDemocratic cause since 1998.
Only a handful of people associating themselves with Northeastern contributed to Republican campaigns in the past six years.
The Democratic contributions did not stop with the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee. Freeland, in 2003 and 2004, made two $1,000 contributions for Sen. Edward Kennedy’s senatorial campaign. He also openly supported Kerry for president, with a $300 donation in 2003 and a $500 donation in 2004.
Abdelal’s major contributions in 2004 included $1,000 for Sen. Kerry and $1,000 for Sen. Kennedy.
Klotzbier also looked far into the future when he donated $1,000 for Kennedy’s 2006 campaign on Feb. 14, 2001.
Peter Manning, a professor in the College of Criminal Justice, also supported Kerry for president with a total of $1,250 in contributions between April and May of 2004.
“I feel very strongly about his political views, particularly on domestic policy, but also his general attitude toward fiscal policy and restraint,” Manning said of Kerry.
Barry Bluestone, director of the Center for Urban and Regional Policy, threw his support behind Rep. Dick Gephardt in 2003 and 2004. Associate professor of economics Oscar Brookins was a proponent of President George W. Bush in his 2000 campaign with a $1,000 donation in 1999.
Vice President for Administration and Finance Larry Mucciolo also senton March 17 $1,000 to the Kennedy for Senate 2006 campaign.
“One thing I really think is important is to get people feeling emotionally connected to the politics of the day in a fairly rational way,” Manning said of his contributions. “One of the problems with the mass media is that public opinion doesn’t give you group opinion. What we really want to know as citizens is are there other people with us on these things?”
–Staff writer Sarah Metcalf contributed to this report.
