Political Raffling
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 6:14PM Because I am a writer, I am on mailing lists, including press releases from political parties. Today, I received an e-mail. Lest you think I am going to give out my affiliation here, guess again. It’s no one’s business, but when I receive something in one of my accounts that’s specifically set up for this type of information and it causes me to raise an eyebrow, I do what I like to do: write about it.
Normally, I leave politics off my blog, but this one was a bit surprising. To be fair, the party itself isn’t what attracted me to it. It’s the person who’s carnival barking that did. At first glance, I didn’t think much of it, but after giving it some thought, I really can’t think of a time, in the annals of American politics, that a sitting president has ever offered any sort of sweepstakes with the one and only prize (3 winners) offered being an opportunity to meet him backstage at one of the final campaign stops he will be headlining for the fall mid-term election. I don’t want to think of my president as a carnival barker, but at the same time, it is not my intent to make any kind of political statement over this. I won’t. It is what it is and what you see is what you get. The graphics are mine, but the “Presidential Address” by Barack Obama to his party constituents is real. Incidentally, the message did not come out of the White House. It is being paid for by the Democratic National Committee.
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Step right up!
HERE’S HOW TO ORDER!
There are 20 days until the election. I need you to go all in.
People like Senator Barbara Boxer in California, Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy in Ohio, and Congressman Patrick Murphy in Pennsylvania — who courageously fought alongside us for change — are facing millions in retaliatory attacks ads from special interests, made possible by a recent Supreme Court decision.
All around the country, members of Congress who stand up for the middle class are being targeted. Special interests hope to replace our allies with candidates who will give tax breaks to the wealthy, exploding our deficits at the expense of the middle class; privatize social security; even eliminate the minimum wage.
That’s why I’m doing all I can, traveling the country over the last critical days of this campaign to support our allies and remind voters of the choice they have in this election. These are the people who stood with us when health reform seemed unlikely, when the banks tried to bully us out of Wall Street reform.
I need you to do all you can as well. Keep organizing, keep talking to your neighbors, and keep donating whatever you can afford.
WILL YOU CHIP IN $3 RIGHT NOW TO HELP WIN THIS FIGHT?
Your donation today will not just help put organizers on the ground, resources in the hands of volunteers, or ads online in these final days of the election. Your donation is a statement — that you and I will not sit back and allow interest groups to buy their way back into power.
And, as Mitch told you earlier this week, your donation will automatically enter you win a trip to Las Vegas to meet me backstage. I’ll be there on October 22nd to stand alongside Nevada Democrats and Harry Reid, one of the best majority leaders the Senate has ever had, who has played a critical role in each of the historic victories you and I have achieved. He’s one of the people we need to fight for.
There are Democrats like Harry all around the country — folks who are under siege because they stood up to the status quo. It’s up to you to give them a chance to keep fighting. And if you don’t do it, nobody will.
I will be out there, making the case with you. And I hope to see you backstage at one of the final, most important, campaign stops I will make this fall.
PLEASE DONATE $3 TO BE AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED TO WIN A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS TO MEET ME BACKSTAGE:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Backstage
Thank you for all you do,
President Barack Obama
P.S. — Making a donation automatically registers you for the sweepstakes. You may also enter the sweepstakes without making a contribution either online or via text message — click here to enter online or here for instructions on how to enter via text message. No minimum contribution is necessary to be registered.
No purchase or contribution necessary to enter. Void where prohibited. You can enter the contest without making a contribution by clicking here. Only U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents over the age of 18 who are residents of the 50 states or D.C. are eligible to enter. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on 10/15/10. Three winners will receive one round-trip ticket within the continental U.S. to Las Vegas, NV; hotel accommodations for one; and a meeting with President Obama at a rally event on 10/22/10 (approximate combined retail value $1,200.00). Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Promotion is subject to Official Rules, available here, including restrictions on eligibility.
Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee — 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.
Would I like to meet the president? Sure, he’s the president and he seems like a very approachable sort of guy, but that’s not the way I’d prefer doing it. Please let me know what you think. Does this diminish the integrity of the Office of the President of the United States? Or have we reached a point where meeting the president is just like winning a Thanksgiving turkey? Buy a raffle ticket. And who will be spared this November, the turkey or the president?
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Reader Comments (41)
Being a Canadian, silence on my part will be golden re this post.
The choice is yours, Snoopy. I found this to be an unusual way to campaign. That is the issue, not who or where.
Snoopy, did you win meeting Liz and Phillip through a sweepstakes? I am sorry, but I think this is the most ridicilous thing I have ever heard of. That is all I am going to say about it.
Mary Jo, I wrote comments and changed them three times. LOL My first comment stays.
Dave, you know I am a good Democrat and I have given money in the past to the DNC but I prefer to give to the candidates in my state.
I probably got this but I have been deleting a lot of my political emails. I am sure President Obama is very concerned for this election. The House and Senate are at stake and if he only looses one House it is a disaster. Would I give to this, I doubt it, but I am sure he/the DNC is thinking that $3.00 is so little for such an important election. With the Republicans and the Tea Party going at it in full force, there are going to be changes and he knows it. I can not blame the DNC for thinking this could help bring in the funds but I wonder just how much it can help.
I am off to San Antonio tomorrow morning Dave. I am going to my class reunion. I will be staying with a very good friend of mine. I will not be able to post anything, she does not have WIFI. She has a computer but I am not sure when I will have time to post. I hope you have a great rest of the week.
Well, Peggy, have a great time. You are lucky to have the opportunity to travel. San Antonio is a nice place, especially River Walk. I envy you.
Anyway, my article wasn't really about political affiliation as much as it was about the presidential raffle. That's all. I know of no other time in American history that anything like this took place. But you're right, the Dems look like they're in a bit of a quagmire.
Did I enter? Sure, why not? Whether it's the best thing for a president to do is not all that relevant. He's already committed himself.
Dave~~I best explain myself here. First off, your presentation of this post is great. I try to stick to the motto "When in Rome etc..." Being a Canadian in here, I am a minority, therefore I tread lightly and try to maintain a neutral stance when it comes to discussing certain laws etc in the USA. For example, while discussing the Anthony case, I do my best to respect the laws of the state of Florida. I would not try and push my Canadian laws down your throat and expect you to show the same respect towards me. I will admit that, in the past, I have discussed our health care and not having to pay income tax on lotteries won here. I find what you wrote a strange way to raise money but I will leave it right there.
So with that, Dave, I will just sit back and read the responses you get. Remember one thing, you are still numero uno!!
I think it is a rather peculiar method, too, and I'm sure no president ever did anything like this before, although the rules were probably cruder 150 years ago. It's not about breaking any laws, it's just different and a little odd, that's all, for the lack of a better way of saying it.
In the UK an elections called an its 4 or 5 weeks of electioneering.In America it goes on an on an on.Im sure Richard Nixon would have held a raffle to raise funds..Though the prize wouldve been exemption from the draft to Veitnam.
Hi, ecossie possie - Yeah, elections are a lot different in the UK, and by this time every 2 years, we are pretty fed up with the rotten TV commercials. Mostly they attack their opponents and they all do it. First, we have to put up with the primary, where voters in each party elect who is going to represent them in the general election. Then, it's all over again for the general, which is held on the first Tuesday of November. Actually, we're sick of the whole thing before the primary is over with, so by now, it's like we don't care anymore. Just get the election over with.
I was in the 3rd lottery in 1970. My number was 352 and the draft only went up to around 150 that year. My brother was shot in Vietnam and I was not in a mood to go. I wasn't even called for a physical, but had I been, I would have gone. Everyone in each particular year was only in it that one year, so after that, those people were exempt from future lotteries.
Well, I got something similar Dave, and I know I'm on that mailing list. What I got though was in teensy, discreet font size and doesn't seem quite as obnoxious as this seems to be! Also, the amount was for more- what made them think to do that?!) I can only figure that they need lots of little donors to make up for all the Bigfoot Billionaires the GOP entices to 6 figure dinners...
Dave,
As you know I am Canadian. I'm not a political fan for many reasons though I continue to vote because it is a right we all have and I feel it is my duty. Since you are asking how we feel about this lottery I will give you my honest opinion. I think it is tacky and desperate. I personally would not buy a ticket but would help out my choice of candidate with my time canvasing etc. What's wrong with getting funding the way they always have? Maybe they could have a line of memorabilia like T-shirts, coins, stamps, dolls etc. like celebrities do. Sorry! That would be tacky too. Just my Canadian opinion. Don't mean to insult anyone so just take it from where it comes. To each his own. Nite Nite All.
Hi: could it be some Nigerian scam? Altho it does "sound" like Obama, there are one or two grammatical errors. Just a thought:)
That's interesting, Karen. This was a regular e-mail from the Obama camp. I get tons of e-mails from them and usually, I look them over and hit the delete button. This one's a keeper. The only fine print was at the bottom.
Frankie - I think it's very tacky, too, and I understand why anyone would think of it as an act of desperation. Don't worry about your Canadian opinion. Politics is politics is politics the world over and all politicians are the same.
Hi, Melanie. I didn't notice the grammatical errors until you pointed out that there are some. It's no scam because the links take you to the Barack Obama Web site. It's for feal. Here, take a look...
Donation Site
I heard the NPR piece this morning on the now-unfettered ability of supposedly apolitical "special interest" groups to raise/spend funds on attack ads- using the Pittsburgh market the NPR folks discovered 100s of thousands of ad buys by presumably corporate interests (fronted by "special interest" vanilla-named groups- you know, "Citizens for Responsible Spending", etc.), not one was for a Democrat- all those ads were pro-GOP. The Supremes made their ruling, basically saying that any "group" (make that Big Insurance! And Big Bank!) do not have to disclose their donor list or amounts! The parties of course still have to, so guess where the money's all going? In these ads they are not supposed to mention a candidate by name, HAH! A lot of them did! NPR looked at the requisite paperwork that "has" to be filled out- loads of blanks. Think anything will happen to the "Special Interest" Groups involved? I imagine that the Dems have decided they have to find new ways of quick getting funding, too, since it's obvious that the other side has bigger guns with deeper pockets... Like we don't need Bank regulating after what we've been through...
Sent out via Nigeria? lol
You know, Karen, I understand exactly what's going on with those special interest groups, but I think the Dems would have been better served had it come from the DNC instead of a letter from the president. In my opinion, it weakens the office and the air of reverance it holds. Had the DNC offered this openly and left the president out of it, except for the prize of meeting him, it wouldn't have been strange at all. It kind of cheapens the presidency, that's all.
No, Connie, not Nigeria... Kenya. That's where his roots are.
Basically I agree, Dave. Problem is the Dems have a "branding" problem right now, you'd think Nancy Pelosi is Satan incarnate- you'd never know this is an off-year local and statewide election- and that she isn't running for anything herself! Don't mention the actual Dem candidate in the running, just say "Pelosi! Pelosi!" over and over... Whereas Obama can actually raise money...
There's no doubt Nancy Pelosi is not very well liked, and I can understand why. She comes across as quite aloof. The president, on the other hand, is approachable and he listens. It doesn't mean people will sway him, but he does keep his ears open.
I agree with you. I can't think of a mid-term election that's as riveting as this one. Not in my lifetime, anyway.
Dave, guess what? I received the same email that you did for the $3 sweepstakes entry. I didn't pay much attention to it when I saw it in my email list, but I looked at it earlier this morning. After I read it I deleted it. That is all I am going to say about it.
Surprise, surprise, Mary Jo! Personally, I think it's cheesy. Had it come from the DNC and not the president, I wouldn't have seen anything wrong with the contest.
Hi Dave - I too think this is cheesy and I would not pay money to shake anyones hand. When I shake hands I want it to be for friendship or business not a campaign stunt. I do not like this from the President of the US. Guess he lost my $3:00. He is very good at raising money and he needs to stick with doing it the way he has in the past.
I agree, Nika1. It lowers he dignity of the office, and yes, he knows how to raise money, but he is, after all, a Chicago-style politician, where the dead vote and vote again and again. I just don't expect it from my president.
By the way, Stew and I are heading up in the afternoon. He's going to drive instead of taking the Red Coach. This will be lots of fun and I'll let you know about the trip.
I'd rather donate to you Dave. I enjoy reading your interesting and insightful blogs.
Thank you, Allisaw T. That's very kind of you and I'm thankful you enjoy reading my blog. I will do my best to keep up the good work.
Dave - Have a good time. Parking will be more of a problem this time because of all the Friday activities. Good place to park is the parking garage at Shands or where the Red Coach comes in. E-mail me if you need directions.
I suggested parking at Red Coach, but he didn't want to do that. You think parking will be available at Shands? I told him we'd have to pay $10 if we can get close.
I'll probably send you an e-mail because I don't know what all I can do about parking. I'll Google Gainesville and take a gander.
I had to read this twice..All I have to say is I'm glad I'm registered as Unaffilitated..My votes this year will be carefully thought out and researched.
I always research candidates, especially judges. I've never heard of a presidential sweepstakes before, so this was quite surprising.
I agree with ali..I'd rather donate to your tip jar..At least I'd get something back for my money...Good reading and lots of info.
Thank you, Glenda. I intend to keep on writing about this and other things, too, whether I make money or not.
Somehow the raffel sounds fishy to me...I just find it hard to believe that Mr. Obama would stoop to that level...I know those political diners run $1,000 and up a plate but 3 bucks for a handshake is ridiculous...JFK didn't charge and he really had a sincere handshake...I'd rather spend the $3 on a MacDonalds meal for a homeless person...
I'm not sure if I should comment, like Snoopy says, it probably doesn't have any bearing that we are Canadian and wouldn't think to stoop that low. (lol). However, in my limited knowledge of fund raising, in the U.S.A., I would rather see a person be upfront about what he/she is raising the funds for. Knowing that most of the funds raised are by special interest groups, it is hard to accept that the will of the people are sincerely being met. I have a critical viewpoint of money being the motivator for winning a campaign. It is prevalent up here so don't take offence. It's the same thing as "The Squeaky Wheel gets the Grease". I don't know how the forefathers campaigned, but I'm sure it had little to do with money and a lot more to do with morality. If I am wrong about that please fill me in. I'm always ready for a history lesson. Thanks Dave. I didn't hear of this on the t.v. or radio. I find it a bit bordering on REALITY TV. I guess the cameras will be following the winners for the few days before they arrive!!!
Hi, Estee - I think it's just a Chicago style political ploy. I'm not as opposed to the sweepstakes as I am with Obama's direct involvement in it. Had it come directly from the DNC with the same prize, I wouldn't have been so shocked by it. Instead, it came straight from the horse's mouth, and that's what sounds like carnival barking to me. It's just not something I expect from my president. Personally, I'd like to meet the president, but I agree, I would feel better if I could feed a hungry homeless person instead.
Sure, you can comment, Louise. Everyone is entitled to express an opinion, and that can cross boundaries.
What's happening since the Supreme Court ruling is that corporations can donate money to fund advertising desighned to beat up a political opponent. Since the special interest groups are not directly linked to any candidate, they are free to attack. The message of support is abundantly clear, but it's not so blunt that it pays for a Republican candidate to smear his Democratic opponent. Of course, the big bucks lean Republican because that's the party that protects their assets by keeping corporate taxes low.
I'm not touching this with a ten foot pole.
Okay, so, I changed my mind. It is my prerogative, correct? lol
I didn't get a ticket, but don't feel slighted.
I'm a not so politically correct, leaning conservative, who voted for the other guy, though I would NEVER have voted for such as Pat Robertson, so don't even go there!
I absolutely believe in equal rights for all; not special rights for any, as well as I will fight to the death of me to support the right of all to believe other than it is that I do. However, I believe all of this "liberality" and "political correctness" has put this Nation at great risk, both internally and externally, and will argue that issue until I am blue! Though not in this forum..
I will preserve further comment for election day and the ballot, thereby ending this by saying, "Just do it!" Vote!
Whew! It feels good to get that off my chest!
You are free to change your mind as often as you want, Skat. And you are free to vote any way you see fit. What a great country!