After yesterday's panel on gender and the election

I couldn't pass up posting this mailing from the Republicans.

Obama and compliance

The Obama campaign has very successfully used compliance principles set out by Robert Cialdini in the email I get (after donating):

1. Reciprocity
2. Commitment and Consistency
3. Social Proof
4. Liking
5. Authority
6. Scarcity

Liking

I get emails from "Michelle Obama" "Joe Biden" and "Barack Obama" himself. They are personal notes addressed to "Bill." These suggest that we are on a first name basis - friends.

Reciprocity

Did they give me something? Yes, I was able to sign up to be told of Obama's VP choice, before it was announced to the press. In the same email, they also asked me to reciprocate - in the form of a donation.

Also,








If I donate, I get a shirt!

Commitment and Consistency

The emails I get remind me of the past donations I made.

Scarcity

The t-shirt was a "limited edition."
Also, check out the subject line from this email:
"Midnight deadline: Double your impact"
My donation could be doubled, but I had to donate by midnight.

Social Proof

An email from Obama's campaign manager

Bill --A record 100,000 people rallied with Barack in St. Louis yesterday, and another 75,000 in Kansas City last night. Back in Chicago, we were tallying up our latest fundraising numbers.Supporters like you have completely transformed how political campaigns raise money, so I wanted you to be the first to know how we did in September.

175,000 people are doing this, so you should too. They are people "like you."

Racism in the 2008 Presidential Campaign?

Earlier this week, Palin told a group of donors in Colorado that "this is not a man who sees America like you and I see America."


A half-minute clip of the "that one" remark.

Wall Street Journal's article.

This article is from Canada.

CNN's editorial holds that it wasn't racist.

A civil rights leader: McCain is playing with fire.