A heart-warming valentine from Elizabeth Warren

This heartwarming message from Elizabeth Warren to her supporters arrived in my inbox this morning:

Virginia,

Valentine's Day is always special for me, and this year it is extra special: Today would have been my mother's 100th birthday.

My mother loved her special connection to Valentine's Day. I have a stack of valentines that my father gave her, even back from when they were teenage sweethearts. And, from the time I was a little girl, I've always baked my mother a heart-shaped birthday cake. I still have those heart-shaped pans.

When my mother died, those heart-shaped pans took on a special meaning. She had been in the hospital recovering from surgery, doing great, and scheduled to go home the next morning. It was evening, and my father was holding her hand. She sat up in bed and said, "Don, there's that gas pain again," then slumped back. She'd had a massive heart attack, and the doctors concluded she had suffered from heart disease for years.

These days, I still use the heart-shaped pans to bake a Valentine's Day cake in honor of my mom. We're in a big campaign right now, but I baked a cake in honor of my mother this year and wanted to share the picture with you.

I also wanted to ask you, as I've asked my friends every year, to remember that heart disease isn't just an "old man's disease" -- it's the number one killer of women in America. We need to invest more in the innovative medical research that can lead to breakthroughs that save both lives and money.

Take care, and happy Valentine's Day!

Elizabeth Warren

P.S.

A special wish for a happy Valentine's Day to Katalusis readers!

Virginia

Watch Elizabeth Warren respond to Karl Rove's attack ads

Sign up here.

Elizabeth Warren to debate other Democrats opposing Scott Brown today, Oct. 4

Photo courtesy of http://www.hapblog.com/

Heads up: Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats challenging incumbent US Senator Scott Brown, MA will debate today, on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. on the University of MA Lowell campus.

The following was posted by the Univ. of MA, Lowell, Sunday, Oct. 2:

LOWELL, Mass. – Elizabeth Warren is in a virtual dead heat against U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and holds a commanding lead over other Democratic challengers in the Senate race, according to a UMass Lowell-Boston Herald poll released today.

Thirty-six percent of potential Democratic primary voters surveyed say they’d prefer to have Warren face Brown, a Republican, in November 2012, according to the independent, nonpartisan poll of more than 1,000 registered voters across Massachusetts. None of the other five candidates – state Rep. Tom Conroy, immigration attorney Marisa DeFranco, City Year co-founder Alan Khazei, Global Reporting Initiative co-founder Bob Massie and engineer and activist Herb Robinson – garnered more than 5 percent support from those surveyed. 

The poll is the first for a new partnership between the Boston Herald and UMass Lowell’s Center for Public Opinion. The partners will also co-host a debate on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. on the UMass Lowell campus. All six of the declared Democratic candidates have said they will participate in the debate, which is free and open to the public. The debate will be streamed live at www.uml.edu and www.bostonherald.com, and the public can participate on Twitter using #UMLDebate.

Read more:

Elizabeth Warren on the campaign trail (videos)

This just hit my inbox – check it out!

Virginia, People in Massachusetts are frustrated with Washington. You can see it when they talk about their jobs, their bills, their homes, and their kids. I see it when I talk with people as I travel the state to talk about running for the U.S. Senate. But frustration isn't the only thing I see. There's something else there, too: passion, hope, and the excitement that we are about to start something great. I've spent my career teaching kids and fighting for middle class families, so I'll admit -- I haven't been to all that many political campaign launches. But from what I saw across Massachusetts, I think this was different. Take a look at the faces of the people I've been talking to. See for yourself. With your help and your support, we can begin to look middle-class families in the eye again -- and fight to give them a fair shake. Thank you for being a part of this, Elizabeth