Give me money and I "might" have lunch with you? This is transformative politics? It sounds more like an elaborate bait and switch. Something akin to the Nigerian web scam, where you have to send money to get millions, which of course never materialize.

Only those who have been thoroughly vetted for maximum media impact and the desired image projection can expect to have Hillary pick up the groceries for them. Her staff probably recognized the name Steve Clemons during her 2nd conversation with America and decided that reaching out to the blogosphere was a good thing.

This is just another example of politicians trying to spin their way to success without leveling with the American people. And sadly, the American people appear to love to be spun. Personally, I expect to see the Tooth Fairy at my doorstep first.

Why are you publishing a picture of her house and basically her address? Wouldn't a generic picture and less detail as to location be just as effective?

22state -- Hillary Clinton's address, which I did not publish, is nonetheless quite easily searchable on Google or many other sites. It's no secret.

Steve Clemons

You're right about the time of the email. I remember hearing Joe Trippi back in '04 talking about data they had on what the optimal time to send out emails is to elicit donations. Looks like Clinton is getting it right. I never wake up to a Clinton email. I almost always get them when I am working. Much more likely to open the email that way.

This letter is a brillant marketing stragety?

Actually it's pretty standard in sales:

1) Put the customer in picture
2) And then hit them in the heart with their dreams.

If this didn't work all cars would be black Fords.

Fear of lose, desire for gain, fear of lose, desire for gain...I am too confused to vote.

That pitch made my skin crawl. I hate it when they pretend to like me. I know better. They just want my cash. But as the world's greatest commodities trader Hillary Clinton hardly needs it from me:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n3_v47/ai_16709018/print

(I regret that the article appeared in NR, but the analysis is fair).

Lunch with a politican?...hummm...I would probably go out of curiosity...obsrve them up close, watch their body language. But to make any "discussion" worthwhile they would have to be hooked up to a lie detector.

"Insurance companies love me. So do lobbyists of all stripes. The financial industry loves me. Defense contractors love me. Shouldn't you love me too? Yes, you should. My Secret Service detail won't let you hug me, but ... say, I know! Why don't you give me some money?"

What Do We Do if Bush Goes To War With Iran?

By M.J. Rosenberg | bio

As Josh reports this morning (citing some solid sources), President Bush could be readying a strike on Iran.

Makes sense. Why else would he seem so sanguine about the future? He knows that Iran is one problem he will not leave to his Democratic successor who, possibly if not probably, will not take military action.

I'd say the odds are slightly better than 50-50 that we wake up one morning soon to the news of an attack on Iran.

So what will we do then? Terror-phobe that I am, I'll probably not take the Washington Metro that morning. But other than that, I won't do anything except post on TPM. Will any of us?

Will our Democratic candidates for President say anything bold? (We know the answer to that one).

In this supposed democracy, have we now reached the point where all of us are -- like citizens in dictatorships -- reduced to utter impotence?
The answer is almost surely yes. And Bush and Cheney know it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I am glad to see Rosenberg joining the ranks of the desperate...and admiting that the presidential candidates and congress are alomst all singing the same war party song on Iran.

And for the 1005th time...

Burn Washington to the Ground and Start Over

I will never cease to be amazed by how gullible Americans are to clever, if blatant, marketing. What hope does the average joe have when even a sophisticated blogger like Steve can't help himself from being impressed?!

God help the US public when the Bush Team start their 'Let's bomb Iran' campaign later this month....A catchy slogan could be, " The US Airforce..We pick up the groceries before we launch cruise missiles."

Is Harry Thomason, television producer and friend of the Clintons who was involved in the Travelgate scandal, producing any '08 campaign schitck for the BigHill?

"Krugman is right to put us all on alert for a month of "snow jobs" ahead." (See post about Nir Rosen below.) Bush has no monopoly on "snow jobs." Hillary's could earn her the title of ice queen.

The Clintons are normal people in the sense the Sopranos are normal people. For example, it is normal for the Clintons to use violence or criminality to advance their political career. It was normal for the Clintons to send those thugs on 6-26-92 to beat up and almost MURDER Gary Johnson, the neighbor of Gennifer Flowers. It was completely normal for Hillary to hire a secret police of goons like Anthony Pellicano (now in jail) and Jack Palladino to harass, intimidate and terrify Bill's sex victims and girlfriends - like breaking the windshield of Sally Perdue's Jeep and putting shotgun shells on her driver's seat ... breaking in Gennifer Flower's apartment ... illegally taping Floyd Brown and breaking into his offices ... stealing the manuscript of Emmett Tyrrell's the Boy Clinton when he sent it to Robert Novak for a blurb ... nailgunning the tires of Kathleen Willey, stealing or killing her cat Bullseye, terrifying Kathleen while she was walking her dogs TWO days before her deposition in the Paula Jones case on 1-8-98 ...
It was normal for the Clintons to put a harassment team on Patrick Knowlton a witness in the Vince Foster investigation (Clinton street fascism in action on the streets of Wash DC Oct. 25, 1995 and continuing for a week ...
It is also normal for Hillary to know about Bill's rape of Juanita Broaddrick and cover it up, saying "You won't believe what the motherfucker just did, he tried to rape some bitch" ... it is normal for Hillary to screw her law partners such as Vince Foster for 10 years and normal for her to probably have Chelsea with Webb Hubbell as the dad ... just as it is normal for Bill to have a son Danny Williams with a drug addicted street hooker and not do a damn thing to take care of either his son or the mother of his only child (Bill's only child being probably Danny Williams and NOT Chelsea) ... and it is completely normal for Hillary to cover for and protect a rapist and sexual predator for 30+ to further her political ambitions. It is just something that Hillary normally does.

independence. ha! you've been on her side for a while now. Also very disingenuous not to mention that this letter is copying something obama has already done-- a few months ago he had four small donors to dinner with him.

Right now, I wouldn't put it past her if Hillary Clinton was attending a fundraising luncheon given by Leona Helmsley's dog.

You're joking - right? "You may already have won the Clearinghouse Sweepstakes" is advanced political strategery?

Robert, go back the meds. It's for your own good, you know.

I read that and came away thinking it was pretty standard marketing technique, nothing really new.

The multiple "donate now" links plus the repeated offer of lunch comes off sounding like you're being asked to buy access -- hardly transformational indeed. More like business as usual.

Then again, I'm a professional marketer, so I tend to be jaded about this sort of thing.

I have just a few thoughts to add to your board. I am a Vietnam Vet, joining the Navy 38 years ago today.

Our country did at least learn to not hold the soldiers responsible for the irresponsible politicians who get the country into terrible situations. But, 'shrub' - current president - will do as Bush senior did, get the country into a mess, leave troops deployed for the next person to take care of things. Oh, and lets not forget the millions of bucks he got for doing that. Shrub stands to make alot of money off of this stint from the foreign governments, just like his Dad.

I try not to be overboard one way or the other, but it is difficult to not be against anyone who supports this current administration. Does anyone in this blog know of the two Executive Orders making Shrub King??? Read them for yourself - tell me I am wrong!

Executive Orders HSPD-20 and NSPD-51 give Bush the right to suspend elections in the case of a national emergency - suspend turning over the Office of President in case of national emergency, etc. Also, he can take anyones home - money - car - for advocating action againt the Administrations War on Terrorism...I think that also means any words against going into Iran, etc.

These are a bit more pressing to me than someone doing a weird comparison of Hillary to the Sopranos? Sounds like a bit of an exageration from the TV commercial - which of course was just TV.

So if people started to realize that the Shrub administration is doing the biggest snow job on the American public, and padding the orders to make him King, then spending time and energy to become active in actions to protect the American citizens rights would end up far more productive.

If someone doesn't like what they have or what they see as choices, then join a campaign, get out the vote and make a change yourself.

We should all be very afraid of this Administration. During World War II the guys name was Hitler.

steve - i'm surprised by your reaction... isn't this just a standard solicitation for donations? i get them all the time - and they make my skin crawl. i hate the obvious falseness. yuck.

You've got to be kidding.

Check out this webpage: a hardcore right-wing Hillary opponent received the same e-mail as you!

Obviously, Hillary had as much input into this deceptive mass e-mail as she does in selecting which garbagemen pick up her trash each week. The e-mail is merely a marketing ploy to maximize cash intake.

Sez Hillary:
"So I'm asking you today to demonstrate your commitment to real change by supporting my campaign with a contribution."

Agreed the "cold" meme is an attempt by opponents to define her, as they characterized Kerry as stiff rather than Lincolnesque.

But why is it YOU who has to "demonstrate your commitment to real change," rather than Hillary Clinton?

For an instant, I thought it was a hand-typed email, rather than a mass email blast. Though, y'know, I'd probly actually accept, if she asked--though coffee on the WaNote Circuit's more my style.

Still, if she redefined the charters of television broadcast licenses, she wouldn't have to raise so much money.

Wow ... Clinton posts really bring out the crazies.

I agree with the shrugging contingent. I don't see how any of this stuff matters. I'm puzzled as to why this impresses you, Steve.

Maybe you could take another pass, in another post, at explaining what Ms. Clinton is doing to communicate differently, and how it figures in a bigger picture.

Regards,

-- Ben Rosengart

I would like to see candidates support global poverty, we see that the focus of most candidates has been "fighting" immigration but I believe that global poverty and immigration have to do with the same core issue. If we focused on fighting global poverty there would be less need for people to leave their countries in search of a better future.

Hey Steve, if you "do lunch" with Hillary, tell her PissedOffAmerican says she can go screw herself, will ya? Tell the bitch that Bush has committed high crimes and treason, and it is her sworn duty to pursue his impeachment and indictment.

standard bullshit from a politician drumming up some bucks and giving the impression you matter.. i can't believe you are impressed with this steve.. get real.. i conclude you're perspective has been altered through so much time spent in political circles.. i can't understand how you would be in the least impressed with this any other way. getting the e mail at 8:22am is supposed to be a big deal? geez, it is pathetic to see politics come down to this..

As someone else said: you're kidding right?

It sounds exactly like classic old-fashioned mass junk mail to me, the kind that came out when word processing first became available, enabling to insert fields for personalization. It uses some of the oldie contest/game show language too, as in: "Yes, you, Kathy Johnson, could soon be sitting pretty in your new Toyota outside the family home at 224 West Street!" Nothing revolutionary about it. Not impressed at all, I find it pretty pitiful. Actually, now that I think on it, it's the stuff of a lot of comedic bits satirizing such pitches. Most recently, I recall in one of the latter episodes of HBO's "John from Cincinnati," he apes a radio salesman making exactly such a pitch in appearing as a vision to someone, and it was very funny.

No surprise if it's the Thomasen's at work here, they always seemed pretty damn old-fashioned to me, really out of it. Maybe Steve got on the "registered Dems over 80 years old" list by mistake or something?

Careful you don't come back pregnant, you blushing object of desire, you.

Seriously, the Bush years have been so brutal to sensible and ethical mainstream guys, so-called "realists" right or left, the folks who now get to spend the next two decades attempting to patch it all back together, that we are witnessing such as this unfortuanate display. Certainly the least of BushCo's casualties.

We can take solace in the fact that the advice the likely next-president will be getting will be solid.

Strictly bull. I am one of her constituents, have sent her several detailed emails, and sign them indicating I was 3 years ahead of her at Wellesley. She has NEVER answered any of my emails, except for the autoreceipt, never put me on any email or snail mail list of hers. She's W lite. CAN HER,

Hi Steve,

Barack Obama did this same thing back in June except it was dinner, he offered to fly the winners to Washington, and he didn't pretend that he was going out to buy the groceries himself.

Actually, I think he took the donors out to a restaurant. At any rate, his letters were nice, but didn't lay it on quite so thick.

Down the street there is a place that, for a $5 contribution, will give you a chance to win $5 million. That doesn't impress me either.

Yeah, Steve, this is an almost verbatim copy of Obama's two earlier fundraising pitches to win a dinner with him, much like Hillary's ad today is a copy of Edwards' earlier one, right down to using the same music.

You should sign up to get emails from all of the candidates at least for the sake of comparison, even if you are going to support HRC.