Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

by Jared Roebuck, Fri Jun 08, 2007 at 04:52:57 PM EDT

Via Marc Ambinder we find this fund raising appeal from the Romney campaign:

So today I'm announcing a special opportunity to join me for a celebration at a Major League Baseball game, including box seats and all travel expenses paid. I know my Dad is so proud of his supporters across the country, and it would mean a lot to me to thank you personally. How do you qualify? Anyone who contributes $100 to our campaign by Tuesday, June 12th will be entered to win two tickets to join me at the game.

Mind you, this isn't a night at the ball park with Mitt "making-it-up-as-I-go" Romney, but instead his son Tagg. Pardon my slight digression. Now, please, contrast that to this recent Edwards appeal:

We're closing in our goal of 10,000 contributions by John's birthday, Sunday, June 10th...If you can give at least $6.10, we'll send you Bobbie Edwards' delicious family recipe for pecan pie so we can all share a slice together on John's birthday.

Or this from Obama:

In the next week, four donors will be selected for a new kind of fundraising dinner. If you make a donation in any amount between now and 11:59 pm EDT on Wednesday, June 13, you could join Barack and three other supporters for an intimate dinner for five.

It would be too easy, to ~~Tagg~~ tag this one up to Republicans being out of touch and appealing to those in the upper-crust (though that may have had a hand in things here). So let's look at this from a fund raising perspective. My guess is that the Romney campaign thought that the ask wasn't too high in relation to the prize--boxseats & Tagg--which I suppose makes some sense. But still if I, being a college student and all, was a Romney supporter, $100 is certainly too rich for my blood. It's also important to note that this is from the Republican's best fundraiser thus far. Alternatively, both the Edwards and Obama appeals set the bar for participation pretty low, which I imagine, maximizes the number of possible contributors. Particularly in a really long campaign season, it seems to me, that a lot of small appeals are better than a few big appeals. It's for this reason, I think, that Democrats will continue do well in fundraising.

Tags: President 2008, Romney (all tags)

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

I got a pitch from this freak in the mail and it's creeping me out, because it's the first one I've ever gotten from a Republican presidential candidate in fourty years, just don't travel in those circles. Looks pretty slick too -- several pieces, including one glossy with Mitt against a flag background. Guess what flag. "Romney for President, Inc.", it says.

Maybe from being the registrar of a domain name? Don't know, but he appears to be reaching recesses never visited by these creeps.

by MikeB 2007-06-08 06:15PM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

My housemate got some Romney mail last week. He's equally baffled. The only thing we could even conceive of is that he recently subscribed to The Economist. Very weird, whatever the reason.

by Baldrick 2007-06-08 10:44PM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

A note about the Edwards "pie" fundraiser. They ask for $6.10 (his birthday) but when you click through to donate you also have the option of $19.53 (his birth year) or $54 (his age). And, as always, "other." When I checked a little while ago there were around 8900 donors who had given a total of $210,000 or something. So even though the ask starts low, a lot of contributors are contributing at the higher levels suggested. Also looks like they'll get their 10,000 donors before John's birthday.

by Mooncat 2007-06-08 07:06PM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

There is much to be revealed here, in the "prize" that is being offered by the Romney fundraising drive, about the subconscious assumptions made by those who designed this. Is it not rather classist/sexist/culturally exclusive/presumptious to assume that the average working american voter wants to A. Go to a baseball game B. Would be enamored at the notion of sitting in the corporate box seat section with a 20 something business student white mormon male?

by jed 2007-06-08 08:30PM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

It is ultimately pretty revealing in terms of what Romney thinks the average person should be/should want

by jed 2007-06-08 08:31PM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

Romney's offer is also an illegal lottery, since it requires a monetary payment for only a chance to win something in return. There didn't appear to be any prominent notice on the email or website -- or any notice at all -- providing alternate instructions on how to be entered in the ticket drawing without making a donation.

by Randy G 2007-06-08 10:11PM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

So is Obama's offer.

by Randy G 2007-06-08 10:21PM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

Not necessarily. They say that you get entered to win, but they don't say that payment is a requirement.

Which is exactly what all those other companies who get around that rule do.

by sterra 2007-06-09 06:17AM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

On neither Romney's nor Obama's site is a way to enter the drawing without making a payment.

Other companies and non-profits do not get around this rule if they are intent on following the law. It might be in small print, but law-abiding organizations always provide an alternate way to enter these "lotteries". Next time you see a drawing for a prize attached to either having to buy something or make a donation, check the small print. You might have to send in a postcard or go to a non-obvious place on a website, but the option will be there.

by Randy G 2007-06-09 10:10AM | 0 recs

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Re: Romney: Too Rich For My Blood

At $100 minimum, what you get is a chance to go to a ballgame with Romney's son? Due to that, people looking at this lottery will perceive the value of the "prize" as being tied to the costs of travel and corporate box seats at the game, and not much having to do with the campaign. (Even for Romney faithful, I imagine they place much less value on access to one of his sons).

It's the exact opposite for the Obama thing -- people would likely be willing to pay for their own travel just to be able to share a meal with Obama, even if the dinner were just burger and fries. To give a few bucks and have a chance to let him know how you think, over dinner. What a chance.

And to do so with other small donors - who probably share your thinking - instead of high-powered lobbyists and dignitaries. There'd be a chance to push reform issues.

Compare that to talking with a family member. Woo-hoo.

by PeterB 2007-06-09 09:07AM | 0 recs