A recent email attributed to Michelle Obama was meant to portray the President’s compassion for his supporters, but it may leave many wondering if that compassion comes at a price.
As part of its campaign strategy, the Obama re-election campaign often sends out emails to supporters directly from the President, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden. Most of these emails make a point about a current political and social issue, and usually close with a request for a campaign donation.
An email sent out this week, however, may not have come across as expected. Purportedly written by Michelle Obama, the email talks about the blind devotion some folks have for the President. The First Lady then points out that her husband loves them as well, but if you want to share a moment with him, it will cost you.
Michelle Obama uses the email, and the anecdote about people loving her husband, to ultimately raise money for his re-election bid. The Obama campaign is offering donors the chance to win a seat at dinner with the President, if they donate $3 or more. Michelle Obama points out in her email that if anyone donates to the campaign, they are entered in the contest to meet the President, so he can tell them how much he loves them too.
The email, entitled “I Love You Back,” is addressed to the first name of the person on the campaign’s email list, so it reads like a personal email from the First Lady. The text of the email follows:
I see this happen a lot:
Someone in a crowd yells at my husband, ‘We love you, Barack.’
That’s when he interrupts himself, smiles really big, and says, ‘I love you back.’ And he does.
That’s why Barack’s dinners with supporters mean so much to him — because they give him a chance to show it and to say thanks.
I can say from experience you won’t want to miss out on the next dinner. I hope you’ll consider donating $3 — or whatever you can to support the campaign — and be automatically entered today. (Writer’s note: Link to Obama Campaign page deleted)
Thank you,
Michelle
The dinners, however, will not be held at the White House; campaign rules forbid it. However, donors who give more money often get White House access. CNN reported that a recent state dinner at the White House played host to a number of foreign dignitaries and government officials, but also included 47 major donors to the Obama campaign. Most of these donors have given (or helped raise) between $50,000 and $1 million for the Obama re-election team. Obviously, $3 will not buy a seat at a White House dinner, but it might buy a little love.
Sources: Obama Campaign email, March 2012; CNN
