The latest fundraising e-mail from Team Obama:
Katrina –
My upcoming birthday next week could be the last one I celebrate as President of the United States, but that’s not up to me — it’s up to you.
This July deadline is our most urgent yet, coming after two consecutive months of being significantly outraised by Romney and the Republicans.
And if you pitch in $3 or whatever you can before midnight tonight, you and a guest will be automatically entered to join me at my birthday get-together next month:
https://donate.barackobama.com/My-Birthday
Thanks. Hope I’ll see you soon.
– Barack
If you are on the Obama fundraising e-mail list, you may have gotten a vague hunch by now that Obama’s birthday is coming up. By my count, I have received eight e-mails in the last two weeks centered on Obama’s birthday, the first from Michelle Obama on June 16, telling me, “Barack turns 51 next month, and there will be a little celebration at our house in Chicago.” On June 17, Obama campaign finance director Rufus Gifford e-mailed, “Have you ever gotten to do something so cool you’re almost jealous of yourself? Pretty sure this would count: On August 12th, just three weeks before the Democratic National Convention and 12 weeks before Election Day, President Obama will have a few friends over to mark his 51st birthday — in the backyard of his Chicago home.”
On the following day, Obama e-mailed me: “Next month is my 51st birthday, and I’d like to invite you to celebrate what we’ve accomplished and what’s to come — with me and some friends at my house in Chicago.” About five hours later, Nancy Pelosi joined the chorus, writing, “It’s nearly President Obama’s birthday!” and asking me to sign a birthday card for Obama.
Four days passed, and then the Obama campaign e-mailed, “Want to celebrate President Obama’s birthday with him — at the Obamas’ house in Chicago?” The next day, Joe Biden e-mailed about Obama’s birthday with the subject line: “Trust me — you’ll have fun.” (No mention of whether Obama’s birthday should be a considered a BFD or not, though.) Yesterday, Obama deputy campaign manager Julianna Smoot wrote, “I’m no good at singing ‘Happy Birthday.’ I hope you’re better, because the President’s inviting two grassroots donors and their guests to celebrate his birthday with him at his home in Chicago on August 12th.”
Get the message much? And isn’t Obama a little old — he’s turning 51 here, not 5 — to be this excited about a birthday?