TV presidents honor military families

Fictional TV Presidents Fitzgerald Grant, Constance Payton, and Conrad Dalton came together Tuesday night to help honor military families at the Blue Star Families 5th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C.

{mosads}Stars Alfre Woodard, who plays President Payton on “State of Affairs;” Tony Goldwyn, who is President Grant on “Scandal;” and Keith Carradine, who portrays President Dalton on “Madam Secretary,” taped a video message to praise military service members and their families.

The video was the kick off for an event bringing together veterans, active-duty members and military spouses to mingle with lawmakers and activists at the Chamber of Commerce. Guests snacked on appetizers prepared by military and celebrity chefs. 

The event was the first of its kind for Blue Star Families.

Tim Daly, star of ABC’s “Madam Secretary,” serves as president of The Creative Coalition, which spearheaded a PSA movement aimed at reducing suicide rates in the military community.

Daly made a cameo in the first video, tying the theme back to mental health support for veterans. “Health matters,” he said. “I know; I played a doctor on TV for five years.”

The campaign won The Creative Coalition one of two Blue Star Neighbors awards — the second was awarded to volunteer Mark Johnson for giving exceptional help to a neighboring military family.

“The families are the ones that never get enough attention,” said Bob Woodruff, who emceed the event. “The concern that we have is that, now that the wars are technically over-ish, that there [will] not be as much attention to those that have come back and are continuing to serve and those that sacrificed to serve during the wars.”

First lady Michelle Obama also greeted guests in a pre-recorded video, thanking the foundation for its role in the Joining Forces initiative, which she and Jill Biden launched in 2011.

“Whenever we’ve had a policy question, or put out a call to action, you all have delivered every single time,” the first lady said. “Joining Forces simply wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

Daly, whose family also has a history of military service, said lawmakers should spend more on support for veterans.

Former Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), an Iraq War veteran, agreed.

“They could focus on these issues. They could not just give it lip service during campaign season,” Murphy said. “Whether or not we send young men and women into harm’s way is the most sacred duty of the Congress. And how we treat their families shows how much we care for them.”

Daly took a more serious note later on — and was met with roaring approval from the audience.

“You people have to do all this work for the men and women who have served our country so bravely,” he said. “I’m a little angry and a little sad that our country doesn’t do that for them, that it’s not automatic. That they don’t recognize that this is something that our veterans deserve.”

Penny Bolden, director of development for Blue Star Families, praised civilians who support military families as examples of “ordinary greatness.”

“We’re not asking anyone to donate a kidney,” she said. “If you can cook a meal, cook a meal for a military family. If you can shovel a driveway, shovel a driveway. We’re not looking for people to do anything extraordinary — it’s the little things that make an enormous difference.”

Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet echoed that theme, saying that civilians who want to support members of the military can assist in even the smallest ways.

“Reach out to them and talk to them,” she said. “Be their friend. Invite them over.”

As for parting gifts? Every guest walked away with a gift bag — with a copy of The Hill newspaper inside.