Political Raffling

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?