John Graham

John Graham, co-chair of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s finance committee in New Jersey, recalls the moment he received that phone call from John Kerry on Election Day in 2004.

John F. X. Graham and former Rep. Herbert Klein, at a Clinton finance committee meeting at Pal's Cabin in West Orange Tuesday nightIt was early evening, and the Massachusetts senator thanked Graham for delivering the state’s 15 electoral votes.

Graham put the phone down thinking he had just been speaking with the next president of the United States.

Then he turned on the television in bed, and watched Kerry lose the election.

The last time Graham spoke to Kerry, he told him he wouldn’t be raising money for him this year -- or next. Kerry was mortified, said Graham, but the candidate’s inability to secure the win sent the Democratic Party fund-raiser in search of someone else. He swears he gave all of the prospects a thorough review: Barack Obama, John Edwards, others who have already dropped out of the presidential race, including Mark Warner and Evan Bayh.

And Hillary Clinton.

Supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign say they can raise $1 million at a New Jersey event on June 18. Kerry '04 New Jersey Chairman John Graham, Democratic National Committeeman Alfred DeCotiis, MWW President Michael Kempner and the Rev. Reginald Jackson will be heading up Clinton's fundraising operation in New Jersey, and have set a $25,000 minimum to serve on their campaign executive finance committee, and $10,000 for their finance committee.  They have a meeting set up for April 24th in West Orange.

Four top New Jersey Democratic fundraisers are sponsoring two fundraising events this month for Mark Warner, the former Governor of Virginia who is mulling a bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. Kerry '04 N.J. Co-Chairman John Graham, Democratic National Committeeman Alfred DeCotiis, lobbyist Michael Kempner and Kerry '05 fundraiser Zenon Christodoulou are heading a high dollar event at the MWW offices and a $25/head reception in Bergen County on June 20.