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2 Votes
10 Comments
Obama's Election Night $25 'Raffle'
News Type: Event — Seeded on Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:51 PM EDT
Article Source: CBS Chicagoadvertisement
(Excerpt):
Although Obama has already raised a record $640 million for his White House run, now he's trying to raise more by dangling a real prize in front of previous contributors.
In an e-mail to supporters, Obama says his campaign is saving some of the best seats for select donors at his election night rally in Grant Park Tuesday.
"Show your support at this crucial time with a donation of $25 or more and you could join me on election night," the message says. "If you're selected, you can bring a guest and we'll fly you in and put you up in a hotel. You'll go backstage at the big event. You'll have a front row seat to history."
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Is this activity legal or illegal?
If it is not unlawful, is it ethical or unethical? Why?
.
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- Public Discussion (10)
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19
{"commentId":3814324,"authorDomain":"thelukesituation"}
How is it unlawful, unethical, etc?
Campaigns do this all the time. Obama did something similar with his convention, where people who donated five dollars got the chance to join him on stage.
It's done all the time.
{"commentId":3814324,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"thelukesituation"}
- 2 votes
#1 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 12:27 AM EDT{"commentId":3814377,"authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
If I'm hearing you correctly, you're justifying this activity because "campaigns do this all the time"?
With regard for a chance win for something by way of cash donation, what if a President Obama rented out overnight stays in the Lincoln bedroom, a spin in his chair at the Oval Office, or a Cabinet post to the selected winning campaign donor? Would that be ethical, as well?
{"commentId":3814377,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
- 4 votes
#2 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 12:33 AM EDT{"commentId":3814426,"authorDomain":"thelukesituation"}
The problem is that those have monetary value. Sitting next to Obama doesn't have monetary value. All I'm saying is that this is a common occurrence, and there's not been any problem with it before, from the FEC or anyone else.
And, interestingly enough, ambassadorships are typically given out to the winning campaign donors. I believe that Bush gave ambassadorships to anyone who raised a set amount of money for him.
His point is that he's asking people to donate, and he will select who sits with him randomly from a list of donors. There's nothing wrong with that. You seem to have more of a problem with the semantics of his wording. Why wouldn't he want to limit who sits by him to those who have supported him in his campaign?
{"commentId":3814426,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"thelukesituation"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":3814976,"authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
I'm not sure I agree or disagree with this practice, but when I get that "red flag" kind of a sense upon seeing something likfe this, particrticularly with regard to a presidential election, I know I need to explore that sense a lot further.
I see this kind of fundraising reserved for non-political activities that are of no particular self-interest, such professional sports figures who raise capital for Special Olympics, Relay for Life, or other worthy cause. To consider that Mr. Obama asks for more money from cash-strapped supporters who have (apparently) raised more than $640 million and climbing smacks of insensitivity at best and greed at worst.
If the way his campaign money has been managed thus far is any indication of the kind of stewardship he would give the national budget, I suspect we're all in huge trouble if he wins.
To be clear, I would submit the same query had it been McCain.
I voted for Huckabee in the primary. Now that dude knew how to make the most of a dollar in a Primary.
{"commentId":3814976,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":3814995,"authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
Ack...format didn't allow me to spellcheck. My apologies.
{"commentId":3814995,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":3816315,"authorDomain":"thelukesituation"}
I don't think I agree that he's being insensitive or greedy, but it does seem to me like the last thing the Obama campaign needs right now is more cash. Unless they're going to buy every commercial slot in the nation's airwaves for like an hour, I'd say they're good on money.
{"commentId":3816315,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"thelukesituation"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":3816443,"authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
Well, we're certainly in agreement on the I-think-they're-good-for-commercials aspect. LOL.
But think on it...$640 million dollars. That's like federal bailout money. It could feed the hungry or pay the deficit for several nations!
If Mr. Obama instead dedicated $640 million dollars he received and instead donated it to Feed the Children, he could have reimbursed the non-profit organization's expenditures of feeding starving children worldwide for all of 2007.
For all of the "spreading the wealth" around, Mr. Obama could have put such money to better and higher use and would have STILL have just shy of $200 million dollars left over to apply toward a less self-indulgent and fiscally responsible campaign. I suspect our country is less interested in $3 million-dollar informercials than they are furthering more tangible results that their prospective candidate is "for."
The possibilities are staggering!
{"commentId":3816443,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":3814703,"authorDomain":"torabu"}
I was under the impression that it was $5 or more (might be wrong). Also, how would a raffle be illegal, exactly? It's just an incentive to donate to the campaign. Asking for donations alone isn't unethical, so why would giving something back be worse?
{"commentId":3814703,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"torabu"}
- 4 votes
#3 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 1:08 AM EDT{"commentId":3816575,"authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
True. Good question, Torabu. maybe I'm just having flashbacks of the "renting" of the Lincoln bedroom, the thought of impoverished people offering their widow's mite in hopes of seeing Mr. Obama elected, or - given the rick star status of Mr. Obama - the capitalization of his popularity, i.e. "You, too, may win a chance to "bethisclose" to him!" With so much already in the coffers, it gives me an unsettling feeling and slightly smacks of taking a third offering in church, you know? Sometimes enough is simply enough.
{"commentId":3816575,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":3817720,"authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
I just re-read my comments. Ew. I admit I was feeling more cynical when I wrote them, so I apologize. Just to be clear, though, I would likely be this annoyed with the 11th hour fund-raising regardless of who was running. I have to admit I'm feeling the effects of campaign burnout, which isn't sufficient excuse in and of itself, but it sure doesn't help. - Anyone else starting to tire of election 24/7 yet??
{"commentId":3817720,"threadId":"405827","contentId":"2061295","authorDomain":"StellaCa"}
- 4 votes
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