The Obama campaign is testing a new approach to fundraising, blasting out emails that ever-so-gently shame supporters into donating.

Before the end of the third-quarter fundraising deadline last month, the campaign sent around specially tailored messages to those on their email list who hadn't yet contributed to President Obama's 2012 reelection fund. Campaign Manager Jim Messina urged them to chip in, by pointing out how many of their neighbors had already done so.

An email sent to a New York recipient read as follows: "Here's something you don't have in common with 15,049 other supporters of this movement who tell us they live in New York, NY."


Messina went on to say that all those donors "had their own personal reason for giving," and reiterated that "our records show that you aren't one of the 15,049 people where you're from who have stepped up for 2012.

"Now's your chance to change that," Messina wrote. The email then asked for a minimum donation of $3 to help the campaign reach its goal of attracting 1 million donors.

The emails took on a personal and local tone, giving stats in each community for how many Obama supporters had already donated. One email sent to Grayslake, Ill., noted that 160 people had "stepped up" for the president.

The Obama campaign did not return a request for comment on the messages.

Brad Blakeman, who worked on the 2000 Bush campaign and in the Bush White House, said he's never seen a fundraising pitch quite like it -- and there's a reason for that.

"It's a scare tactic," he said, claiming the message suggests to recipients that "your neighbors are going to know if you didn't donate."

He said the approach will probably work on some people but is "more detrimental than it is beneficial."

As in 2008, the Obama campaign is using the Internet and email and social media in new ways to reach voters. The campaign has incorporated the president's push for his $447 billion jobs bill into its 2012 operation, sending out an email earlier this week directing supporters to use their online tool to pressure GOP members of Congress on Twitter to back the bill.

The campaign also set up Attackwatch.com for supporters to report "smears" about the president, presumably so they can be shot down. And the campaign has used fundraising emails to raffle off tickets to dinner with the president.

The Obama campaign has not yet announced its third-quarter fundraising totals. The campaign raked in close to $50 million for the second quarter -- a combined $86 million with the Democratic National Committee, setting a record. That was more than the GOP field.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/08/obama-campaign-pressures-potential-donors-by-comparing-them-to-neighbors/#ixzz1aDSRx9qV

how would neighbors possibly know if someone donated?

wheres the scare tactic?

never seen anything like it? so I guess Willie Horton was just 'informative' advertising,,,lol

well,he had good Teachers in Saul,Frank and Ayers!

and dont forget at HARVARD LAW,,,,

and his grandparents,,

why not choose some actual PROVEN and close relationships?


and IM still lost as to who on earth would be SCARED about that donation request?

people who claim that they could beat the crap out of someone for destroying their own flag?,,,certainly not


really? an email giving stats about area donations is ..scary?


disturbing, really

So true. Not to mention Tony Rezko, a former weapons dealer for Saddam that was financially tied to Obama and the good Reverand Wright and Obamas natural sociopath personality.

professional ties are so PERSONAL unless they are with the BIN LADEN FAMILY


too funny,,


and who can forget the 'axis of evil' ( so much less racist and dividing than a sermon on how we should look at ourself before condemning others,,lol)

And exactly did the Bin Laden family do?

OSAMA BIN LADEN is part of the BIN LADEN family, if you google him you can find what he has done,,,

He was also disowned BEFORE he formed Al-Qaeda and his inheritance was cut off.

Many people in the United States and across the world do business with the Bin Laden family being they own the biggest construction company in the world AND have projects in EVERY country. Hell, even the Obama Adminstration does business with them.

many people have served on boards with ayers as well,, thats my point

people make it personal when they have an agenda, otherwise its 'just business'

Ayers doesn't host several fundraisers in his home for everyone he serves on boards with or socialize on a personal level with everyone he sits on boards with he did both for Obama AND Ayers is a Domestic Terrorist, the Bin Laden family arn't terrorists so your comment doesn't even make sense.

of course it does

it makes sense because perception is subjective

and some SUBJECTS see something much more personal in professional relationships than wht is really there

and some only see professional when personal is there

pov determines how each subject will interpret just how 'serious' or 'significant' others relationships really are

I thnk ayers is about as significant to OBAMA as bin laden is to Bush,,,,

one fundraiser and charity fund together does not buddies make,,,

I Hope I get one of these cause I will send it back with "My neighbor to the north is a welfare brat and my neighbor to the south is an as$h*le, good luck with your campaign!"

I have gotten one, Didnt feel the least intimidated or scared, still havent donated because I am not in the financial position

wouldnt change regardless of how many others donate,, I hope the voting pool isnt full of the type of citizens that would be 'intimidated' into giving because others gave,,,,sounds more like grade school than voting aged adults,,

I have two family members who voted for him because of their wives Rather vote for a dud than stand up for their beliefs, something I would never do!

sorry for your pain


especially since voting is such a private activity, one person per stall and everything,,,


my family has and always will vote our own minds,,,

I have talked to A LOT of people who voted for him because he is black or because they thought it would be "Cool" to have an African American President and ALL of those people have said they will NEVER vote for the D'Bag again.

No you have always voted Democrat.

really? were you in my booth when I checked my candidates for the past twenty years?

amazing,,

sorry about your acquaintances,, still have to say, those I know voted for him for all range of reasons other than thinking it would be 'cool' or because of his race,,