Many of you have doubtless gotten this e-mail from Obama, since it likely was sent to everyone on the Obama mass e-mail list. Apparently, Obama is offering to select four campaign donors for an all-expenses paid trip to have dinner with Barack Obama. The link to the web site after the jump.
https://donate.barackobama.com/...
For this week only, if you donate to the Obama campaign, you have a chance to win a free dinner with Senator Obama himself, along with three other supporters. It is also specified that two of the spots will be reserved for first-time donors. I made another small donation in response to this, although I had been planning to donate again soon, anyway. There are a couple of comments I would like to add, however.
It is clear that these spots will not be chosen at random. In the bottom right corner of the screen at the donation site, there is a box where donors can "tell their story". Based on this, it is pretty clear that the campaign will be selecting the invitees based on the stories they provide with the donation, based on criteria on which we can only speculate. I highly doubt that the story I submitted will attract attention, as it is not very interesting. What kind of qualities do you Kossacks feel will be used to choose who will get to have dinner with Barack?
Clearly, this move is a ploy to boost donations this week, as it is the last week in March. This is even more apparent by the fact that the last day to make donations to enter this "raffle" is Monday, March 31, the last day of the month. It's a clever last-minute push to increase the number of campaign dollars that can be reported for the month of March. The Obama campaign wanted to convince people like me, who were intending to donate eventually again, to donate before March 31 so that they can report a higher figure for the month of March. My question to my fellow Kossacks is whether there is something to be concerned with here. Is Obama lagging in donations this month, and this is a pitch to revive them? Or is the campaign going for the gusto, and pouring gasoline into an already-raging forest fire?
I encourage all Obama supporters to give to the campaign, and claim a small chance to get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet a person who could become a historic US President. Better make the "story" you submit a good one!