To: William Shein
From: David Plouffe, Campaign Manager, Obama for America
Date: Nov. 5, 1:17 a.m.
Subject: Get your wallet!
Dear William,
Yes we can! And we did! Barack Obama is now president-elect of the United States.
But this is no time to rest on our laurels. There's work to do. And as you know from the 3,194 fundraising e-mails we sent in the last few weeks, this "work" costs money. A whole lot of money. So will you donate at least $5 right now?
Today we're asking for any remaining money you have -- that dusty bowl of change, any fivers hiding in a suit jacket you haven't worn since 1997, your kid's entire college fund -- to carry our efforts forward. Because there's more we can do, right now, to help middle-class families. If we can raise a pile of money by midnight tonight, we can broadcast our new TV ad, "Let's Spread the Wealth," which literally shoots gold ingots out of the television and into the hands of struggling Americans!
To do that, we need to increase the size of our already enormous pile of money. Turn it into an historic, giant, sun-blocking pile of money. William, I'm talking about a pile of money so huge that our campaign engineers recently constructed smaller, strategically placed piles of money just to keep the main pile of money from falling over.
So won't you donate at least $5 right now? Your support at this critical time will ensure that Barack and his staff can surf into Washington, D.C. on a giant, rolling wave of fresh, crisp cash. And continue to live in the style to which they've become accustomed.
In the coming weeks, we'll assemble a new administration, fill key positions, and prepare to govern. Won't you commit $5 right now to help us assemble a new administration, fill key positions, and prepare to govern -- while we wear fancy new clothes made from sheets of uncut cash?
We also need funds to continue to track the whereabouts (and wallet) of every Obama supporter. How do we do that? Via the free Obama-Biden car magnet we sent you in September. It's actually a GPS tracking device. Pretty cool, huh?
(By the way, William, you sure spend a lot of time parked outside Chloe Logan's house when her husband is out of town on business. What gives?)
Your support at this crucial moment will also help Barack's team of scientists complete the "Men in Black"-like device that, when activated, will convince progressives that President Obama's policies are, in fact, progressive. And not just more corporate-friendly nonsense wrapped up in unusually pretty and distracting words.
By the way, pretty and distracting words don't come cheap. Will you donate another $5 right now?
Perhaps you don't think these small donations are important, especially in light of news that we've quietly raised millions of dollars by selling access to Barack's top policy advisors for up to $28,500 a pop. Does that seem like a faster, more effective way to raise big money? It is! So won't you donate $5 right now to pay for a fancy, gold-embossed invitation that we'll mail to someone with much more money than you? And who wants to have the ear of the new administration?
(For faster processing, please write, "Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss" on your check.)
Now is not the time to become complacent. Plus, if you donate a substantial sum right now, William, I guarantee that your overnight visits to the home of Chloe Logan will remain our little secret. Deal?
Sincerely,
David Plouffe, Campaign Manager
Obama for America
P.S. Did you know that adding a "P.S." to fundraising e-mails dramatically increases the response rate? Especially if the "P.S." mentions that we know everything about you and Mrs. Logan?
(Originally printed in The Berkshire Eagle newspaper. Cross-posted from Reason Gone Mad)