President Obama’s campaign imitated debt collectors in another fundraising appeal, this time telling supporters who have not contributed to the campaign that they are “the only one” who has failed to do so.
The campaign leads with a guilt trip, putting “The total you’ve donated to the 2012 campaign:” in the subject line of the email to people who have not contributed. Then comes the now-familiar records-check:
According to our records associated with this exact email address:
– Total you’ve donated for the 2012 campaign cycle: $0
– Your most recent donation was: $0
– Suggested donation today: $5
Scott Goodstein, who worked for the Obama campaign in 2008, described this kind of email as “a ‘collection-style’ bill from the campaign’s auditor” in a recent Politico story.
The Obama camp closes with an appeal that reiterates their claim to be a grassroots-driven campaign while implicitly faulting the unwilling donors for their failure to step up.
“If Barack Obama loses to the other side’s cynical strategy, so does our way of doing grassroots politics,” writes Obama’s national finance director, Rufus Gifford. “The President doesn’t have anyone else waiting in the wings — you are it.”
Bank of America loaned the Obama campaign $15 million this month, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
