Opinion: Sarah Palin makes a fundraising pitch
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John McCain’s surprise selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate sparked exultation among socially conservative Republicans -- many of whom, prior to the pick, had a ‘hold-your-nose’ attitude as they contemplated voting for him.
With greater enthusiasm comes more cash; indeed, a McCain campaign aide said the campaign raked in $7 million in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of Palin’s elevation to the GOP ticket. And today brings this direct fundraising appeal from Palin.
Interestingly, the pitch doesn’t mention ‘family values’ or her commitment to the causes near and dear to social conservatives -- probably because there’s no need for her to do so.
Instead, it includes a stress on one of the main points McCain made as he introduced the largely unknown Palin to the rest of the nation Friday: her credentials as a Washington outsider.
Here’s part of the e-mail sent out under Palin’s name:
Some of life’s greatest opportunities come unexpectedly, and this is certainly the case for me. I never set out to run for office. But life has taken me on a course that first led to the Alaska Governor’s office and now the country’s first female Republican vice presidential candidate. I want you to know that John McCain and I will challenge the status quo in Washington. We’re ready to address our nation’s great challenges - from reducing our dependence on foreign oil to cutting wasteful spending and creating good jobs for Americans. I look forward to working with him to achieve every goal he has set out during this campaign to improve the lives of all Americans. As the mother of a son serving in the U.S. Army and the commander of Alaska’s National Guard, there is no doubt in my mind that John McCain is prepared to serve as our next Commander in Chief.
Barack Obama’s campaign also was hard at it on the online fundraising front, sending an e-mail to supporters keyed to Sunday’s end of the monthly reporting period. With that deadline looming, the donation request says ‘we have an opportunity to show that a campaign funded by ordinary people can go toe-to-toe with the Washington lobbyists and special interests lined up behind John McCain and the Republican Party.’
Those who pony up $15 or more receive a ‘first edition’ Obama/Joe Biden car magnet (who thinks up this stuff?).
-- Don Frederick