By Andrea Sachs
Readers will likely remember the line, “Call me Ishmael” from their English classes in high school. It’s the famous opening of “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville.
I think I’m going to start my own memoir “Call Me Eddy,” because of the countless text messages I get every day pleading, “Eddy, send me money!”
Several years ago, someone at the Democratic headquarters must have confused my name, Andrea Sachs, with his name, “Eddy Sachs,” and ever since, I have received hundreds of messages addressed to him.
It was funny at the beginning — on some days, I would receive the same pitch twice, one to me and another to him. But when Nancy Pelosi started to send me donation pleas that began, “Dear Eddy,” I got a little perturbed.
I am what the pros call “a small-dollar donor.” I send a smidgen here and a smidgen there, enough that the party fundraisers have figured it out and send me a ridiculous number of overwrought texts.
Sometimes, it works.
There are irresistible contests; I mean, who wouldn’t pay to see Ted Cruz sent packing to Cancun permanently? Other times, I fall for a schmaltzy come-on, like Adam Schiff’s bar mitzvah picture. How could I deny North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein the funds to fight the nonsense spouted by his off-his-rocker opponent, Mark Robinson? And I admit I am charmed by Jon Tester, the embattled salt-of-the-earth Montana Democratic senator.
What I really am is a frustrated political junkie who lives in an uncontested state and feels sidelined. It wasn’t always like this. New York has only consistently voted Democratic in presidential elections since 1988. Ronald Reagan won New York handily in 1980 and 1984. But by 2020, Donald Trump — despite being a hometown boy — only got 38% of the statewide vote.
Unlike most of America, I am dying to see a political ad or go to a presidential candidate’s rally. But alas, not even Jill Stein is coming to Manhattan for a town hall. So, I must be content with picking political faves and showering them with the equivalent of pennies.
The only way I’ve been able to applaud my gal Kamala is by sending her money, a little more than usual by my standards. I mean, this election is the Big Kahuna, right? Yes, sometimes it’s hard to work up the energy to shell out knowing that New York City billionaires are a gold-plated piggy bank for both presidential candidates, but I’m a sucker for the same text pitches that drive me crazy half the time. So, I’ll keep my credit card in (slow) motion for the rest of the campaign.
Just make me a promise, Kamala — please don’t call me Eddy!
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And check out the SUPPORT button below.
I hope Trump wins. It will be better for NYC and our country.
No matter what your view of national politics, we must all admit that one of Trump’s first priorities if he is reelected will be to destroy NY. He HATES NY bc the justice system here has made clear that he is not above the law. Watch out NY, if Trump wins.
He just did a political rally here in NY on Wednesday night. I don’t think you are accurately reading his mind.
I seriously doubt that, those of us who remember his first term could tell you otherwise. Plus he has clearly mentally deteriorated with age. Kamala has impressed me thus far, I’m glad Andrea seems to agree!
As I like to point out, Biden won the UWS with like 85%+ of the vote yet there’s always a lot of fearmongering / Republican-esq comments up here… very curious.
Nice one!
We seem to get 10 or 20 of these every day. I get them signed by Kamela and signed by Donald and signed by everyone else running for everything except dog catcher. But i am sure that none of these people knows my name or is sending them and I now automatically delete everything because I am afraid I am being spoofed and sending to someone who really has nothing to do with politics at all. Maybe some are real. Maybe all are real. But how am I supposed to know.
If it isn’t in response to a text, or email, you sent, don’t feel bad about blocking and deleting.
Cruz is not going anywhere but back to his next term in the senate majority.
West Virgina and Montan, both dem senate seats are done and even list as R pickup by the NYT.
Other Dem senate seats look bad as well PA is tied, WI is lean R and AZ, OH, MI and NV are all toss up. Cruz is listed as leans republican, in 2018 he faced Robert Francis O’Rourke who tried to make people think he was Hispanic by using the name “Beto”, even though he is a 4th generation Irish American
The Cruz/Allred race in Texas is vital to all New Yorkers because Cruz is holding up bipartisan action to make E-Bike batteries safe.
FDNY reports that since 2019 there have been 910 fires caused by batteries, resulting in 509 injuries and 31 deaths through September 2, 2024. That’s why I’m sending my small-donor money to Collin Allred.
See The Spirit/Westsider September 12-18, 2024 and The CITY on September 5.
Spoken like a true New Yorker. I have felt exactly the same.
Loved reading this article 😀💙🇺🇲
New York , an uncontested state???? WAKE UP , New Yorkers, of which I am one. Who lost us the House two years ago? There are 4 Long Island Congressional seats in play plus Upstate. Instead of talking about and perhaps sending money toTexas, California, and Montana how about our own backyard????
Oh my!! You too??? “They” have decided that I’m Gladys. So I decided, let
Gladys send them money! Except for Colin, that is. Out damn spot by the name of Cruz!!!!!
I don’t know how republicans got a hold of my number but am besieged with texts with donations requests, it’s nuts!!! Like long democratic that I am horrified at what some of these texts say about democratics. Anyone know of a way for me to get rid of them? I block & block & still they come.
They same place ever other telemarketer gets numbers, they buy phone/email/snail mail lists.
If you use gamil and or any other google product, or apple product they bought your info from them. Gmail and the others claim they don’t sell your personal info, but for example, gmail and google “give” the information to their parent company Alphabet which then sells it.
I was bored one day and actually read the terms & conditions, this and a lot worse is in what you agreed to when you signed up. You also gave them the access to the meta data on your computer/phone etc. Thats how you are texting about a trip to Portugal and then suddenly start
getting adds for flights
I too am a small-dollar donor and am inundated with texts and emails, and I’m worried the Harris campaign is making the same mistakes that Hillary did.
In the beginning they make the email or text specifically about money every other time. They mix in a 2 paragraph rebuttal to a Trump lie or address the plan ahead. Now, there are no policy points and thus no way to put talking points into dems who can parrot them out in the world and potentially blunt the doubts people have about her.
Just a relentless “the world is going to end if you don’t send us $25 by midnight.” Shame she could lose.
The reason they do it is because there’s a ton of data proving that it’s effective. Hillary didn’t lose because of fundraising texts/emails.
I also get political texts addressed to the wrong name. I just figured it was a scam text like seeing an unknown caller id on the phone. Don’t pick up. I thought the text wrong name scam was just to get one to respond and say, I’m not them. Then they know they have a working number with someone that might respond. So, I just delete right away. I guess I’m paranoid thinking every unsolicited text( or email) is a scam. If I want to send money, I’ll go online and find their official page to donate.
I agree, Earl. I’ve gotten many texts a day from Rs and Ds. They sound the same and don’t tell me a thing except that the world will end if I don’t donate. I have donated but not based on texts. They all get labelled junk and deleted (not that it works) and I find the candidates’ websites and donate that way
Hi Andrea,
There are plenty of down-ballot e.g. Local and State offices that need your help! Let’s make the whole state blue, not just our President!
Also, I ‘Delete and Report Spam’ on the GOP texts – maybe some enterprising reporter will FOIA the data on those. Could be interesting! The Emails, I just click Spam – they don’t come back.
I delete and report spam on all political texts. They sound the same and I don’t trust them. I have to go to a candidate’s website or a site like Act Blue or Act Red to be sure I won’t be ripped off.
Kamala has zero integrity, she opened the border and tried to cover up Biden’s dementia.
Whereas that other candidate, Don, is a paragon of virtue unrivaled in human history, a man of adamantine integrity, empyreal intellect, boundless benevolence, selfless dedication, unflagging patriotism, rapier wit, and unmatched savoir faire. Plus, he’s the world’s greatest businessman, reality-show host, golfer, interior decorator, physicist, social-media personality, and of course husband; and he would certainly never, ever sell America’s most guarded secrets to enemy powers or need to wear Depends. Oh, and his magnanimity toward women is the stuff of legend! Got it.
Regards to your software developer.
You can stop the deluge by responding STOP to texts and by clicking unsubscribe at the bottom of emails. Some will still get through (especially if you send more money), but at least it won’t be every 3-4 hours as now.
We get daily mail for “Eugene,” “Kathleen”, “Simon”, and” David” (plus a few others – I unsubscribed ) – in addition to all the variations of Rob and Sue
(and it’s the other side who send pleas to Kathleen and Simon)
My phone number used to belong to someone who donated to both political parties, but seems to have donated more to Republicans than Democrats as I get more texts from Republican politicians than I do from Democrats.
I have lost track of how many times I have gotten messages, but if block was a physical button on my phone, it would be worn out by now.
Yes, I text stop before blocking the number and deleting the text.