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This is Jana Kramer from Windown with Jana Kramer. Have you ever felt that uneasy anxiety when the 4 p.m. hour strikes? The creeping meal related distress that happens when you don't quite feel prepared? You know, dinner dread? Let's get rid of that unpleasant feeling forever with one word, Stouffer's. No matter what happens, you'll have a dinner plan that everyone loves with Stouffer's.
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I'm a-going to stay where you sleep all day, where they hung the church that invented work in the big rock candy mountains. This is Our American Stories, and now Jesse Edwards brings us the story of a desk, unlike any story of a desk that you've ever heard before. August 24, 1814 marks one of the darkest episodes in the War of 1812.
On that day, British troops marched on Washington, burning public buildings, including the U.S. Capitol. Among the losses in the Capitol were the Senate chamber and all its contents. Reconstruction took until 1819, and when Senators again took their seats in the rebuilt chamber, they occupied 48 new desks and chairs custom-made by Thomas Constantine, a New York cabinet maker. Constantine was paid $34 for each Senate desk and $46 for each chair.
Today, all of Constantine's desks remain in use in the current Senate chamber, although his chairs have been replaced. As new states entered the Union, desks of similar design were ordered from other cabinet makers, although the four newest desks, those constructed for Alaska and Hawaii, were built in the Senate cabinet shop. There are noticeable differences in shape and dimension among the 100 desks. These result from the original semi-circular arrangement in the old Senate chamber. A desk's shape reflected its position in the room. Mile desks were narrow and angled, while the center was wider and square. If the oldest were arranged in the original layout, it is believed they would have formed a perfect semi-circle. Many traditions pertaining to the Senate desks have evolved over the years, and each new class of Senators that occupies them contributes to their heritage.
Through careful documentation and diligent preservation, this rich legacy will be maintained for future generations. But there is one Senate desk unlike any of the others, and you wouldn't know by looking at it. Next to the eastern door to the Senate chamber, the first desk on the right, in the last row of desks, they call it the candy desk. It all began on the Republican side of the Senate in 1968 when Senator George Murphy of California, who had an insatiable appetite for candy, started stocking his desk full of sweets that he would often share with his fellow Senators.
The tradition has continued ever since and has even become a point of pride for the select few who preside over the candy desk. Senators John McCain and Rick Santorum have both sat in the coveted desk. The current and 16th tenant of the candy desk is Republican Senator from Pennsylvania Pat Toomey. Since Hershey's chocolate is based in Pennsylvania, Senator Toomey gladly shares candy from his home state. Well I am happy to be carrying on a great Senate tradition. It's the tradition of the Senate candy desk.
For 50 years now, one desk on the Republican side of the aisle, the first desk that Senators pass as they walk into the chamber, has been the official candy desk. And there's no state that should occupy this desk more than Pennsylvania because we are America's leading confectioner. We have more candy companies than any other state. We have 10,000 people working in this industry, and it's just a terrific industry, and I happen to really like three mustard beer bars.
So I'm delighted to play this role. Now the strange thing is, according to Senate ethics rules, Senator Toomey and anyone who bears the responsibility as keeper of the candy desk is required to place only candy that originates from their home state into said candy desk. You see, every candy company in the world would love to have their candy inside the Senate candy desk.
Think of it as a form of lobbying, because that's exactly what it is. Now you might think that keeping a desk full of candy wouldn't be this complicated, but the rule states that Senators are not allowed to accept donations of more than $100 per year. The loophole is that this rule does not apply if the donations are manufactured in that Senator's home state. Now get this, if you wanted to add your brand of candy to the already existing pool of US Senate candy desk candy, your company and all the other companies that want to donate must first be represented by the National Confectioners Association, the trade organization that advances, protects and promotes chocolate, candy, gum and mints and the companies that make up the $35 billion US confectionery industry. The Democrats have also had a candy desk since at least 1985.
A roll top located on the front wall belonging to the United States Senate Democratic Conference Secretary Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin is also filled with sweets. However, the Democrats manage their candy desk on the honor system. Not to get all political, but it's interesting to see the way each side of the aisle chooses to distribute candy differently. On the right, candy companies pay lobbyists to help get their sweet sugary product into the gaping maws of the Senate body.
On the left, it's a communal dish where people can pay as they wish. On the right, they find loopholes around ethics rules in order to maximize the quantity and quality of candy that makes it into the desk. On the left, the most popular candy was the plain old Hershey's Kiss.
Not that there's anything wrong with that. Hershey's Kisses are one of the most popular brands of candies in the US with more than 60 million produced each day at the company's two factories. The Hershey Company ships roughly 100 pounds of chocolate and other candy four times a year to fill the candy desk. I'm Jesse Edwards. And great story, Jesse. I know a lot about Congress in American history. I did not know anything about the candy desk and I feel like a really terrible boss.
And so he did a quick poll. The Our American Stories candy desk will be stocked with good and funny for me. Well, for my wife, when she comes in, occasionally some Snickers, a little baby Snickers, and for Reagan, my beautiful daughter, Kit Kat. This is Our American Stories. Lee Habib here, host of Our American Stories. Every day on this show, we bring you stories of America, stories of us. And it's because of listeners like you that we're able to tell the story of this great and beautiful country.
Our stories will always be free to listen to, but they're not free to make. If you love what you hear, consider making a tax deductible donation to Our American Stories. Visit OurAmericanStories.com to give. Give a little, give a lot. Any amount helps.
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See details at T-Mobile.com. This is Jana Kramer from Windown, with Jana Kramer. Have you ever felt that uneasy anxiety when the 4 p.m. hour strikes? The creeping meal-related distress that happens when you don't quite feel prepared? You know, dinner dread. Let's get rid of that unpleasant feeling forever with one word, Stouffer's. No matter what happens, you'll have a dinner plan that everyone loves with Stouffer's. Some chicken enchiladas or a cheesy chicken and broccoli pasta bake is always welcome, whether it is plan A or plan D-licious. When the clock strikes dinner, think Stouffer's. Shop now for family favorites. You're listening to an iHeart podcast.
