Based on President Obama's first e-mail of the day about the Dinner with Barack contest (there were two e-mails by 10:00 AM), it sounds like he and I used to dine together regularly, but since he's become all busy being Commander in Chief and saving the economy and I've been working an extra night job to support my underemployed partner, we've drifted apart. The first e-mail had the subject line "I like these dinners," and the President--er, Barack, because we're on a first-name basis in e-mail--opened with:"Because you and I don't have a lot of chances to have dinner together, I hope you'll take advantage of the one that's coming up this fall."
Well, how can anyone resist such a prettily worded dinner invite?! I've been missing our dinners together, too! Barack asked for $3 to ensure we get the chance to continue our culinary adventures.
For a campaign that is relying on e-mail to woo donors, whomever is actually writing President Obama's missives is making some *interesting* choices for phrases. The e-mails are just plain goofy. Or "creepy" and "semi-stalkerish" according to Business Insider. Or filled with "borderline booty-call language," according to The New Republic.
I've never actually had dinner with President Obama, but First Lady Obama assured me in an e-mail sent on Wednesday that the President wants to have fun. She advised me to "just relax." In Barack's second e-mail today, the dinner invite was the PS to a request for a $10 donation. There's also a new video about the dinner.
What I'd really like from the Obama Campaign is an e-mail announcing the names of the winners of this summer's "Dinner with Barack and Joe" contest. Still wondering who those four mystery Americans are.
UPDATE: Late in the afternoon Twitter users started joking about e-mail subject lines, using the hashtag #ObamaCampaignEmailSubjectLines.
@EzraKlein had the best tweet: "I THE PRESDENT OF THE UNITED STATE HAVE AN URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL FOR TRUSTED FRIEND"
@Adambonin tweeted: "How Many More Terrorists Do I Have To Kill For You To Like Me Again?"
The text of e-mail #1, "I like these dinners":
XXXX --
Because you and I don't have a lot of chances to have dinner together, I hope you'll take advantage of the one that's coming up this fall.
So if you've been sitting on this, now's the time to toss your name in the hat:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Dinner
I like these dinners not just because I get to hear from supporters like you, but because they're part of what makes our organization different.
Other campaigns save seats at the table for special-interest PACs and Washington lobbyists -- and you can see the effects in the decisions they make and the priorities they set.
Our campaign rejects all contributions from Washington lobbyists, and we refuse all money from corporate PACs. That means we're accountable only to the people, not special interests.
Instead, we're relying on millions of people like you giving just $3 or whatever you can pitch in.
Hope to see you soon:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Dinner
Thanks,
Barack
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The text of e-mail #2, "Stronger For it":
Friend --
We're building something different here.
Ours is the only major presidential campaign that outright rejects contributions from Washington lobbyists and refuses money from special-interest PACs.
No matter what the deadline, no matter what the pressures or distractions, we're always going to do this the right way: one person and one grassroots donation at a time.
It's the hard way to do it, but we're stronger for it in the end.
So please donate $10 or more before midnight tonight:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Friday-Deadline
Thank you,
Barack
P.S. -- If you make a donation of any amount before midnight, you'll be automatically entered for a chance to join me for dinner with three other supporters.
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