A couple of days ago, the Chris Dodd presidential campaign tried to cash in on Red Sox Nation insanity with this seemingly innocuous ploy (via MassLive):
There's something magical about playoff baseball under the shadow of the Green Monster, the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square, or the fact that if you squint hard enough you can almost make out Ted Williams patrolling the outfield or Cartlon Fisk waving that ball inside the foul pole.
So let's go to Fenway Park... I've got two extra seats -- great seats -- to Game Six of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians. And I believe they have your name on them.
Next Thursday at 5 P.M. Eastern, we're going to pick one entrant at random, live and online, to attend Game Six with me that Saturday. I'll put up the two tickets, $600 towards airfare for you and your guest, and a hotel room in Boston.
Here's how it works. You make a minimum contribution of $20.04 (in honor of the last time the Red Sox won the World Series, 2004) and you have as good a shot as anyone else to attend the game.
We didn't post at the time because, hey, Wonkette is not a message board for Chris Dodd to make new friends, especially if he doesn't offer a big bowl of chips! Major League Baseball apparently felt used also, and has ordered the Dodd campaign to stop the promotion at once. Ruh roh.
Indeed, this morning Dodd supporters received this e-mail from the Indian giver's campaign (via Don't Tell the Donor):
We have some bad news. Major League Baseball has asked the campaign to end our contest you entered to get a chance to go to a Red Sox game with Chris Dodd. Apparently, Post-Season tickets are different than regular season tickets -- they are owned by the League and the MLB has their rules. If you made a contribution hoping to win the tickets, we want to provide you the opportunity to get a refund for your entry. If you wish to be refunded, reply to this email asking for a return of your donation and we'll make it happen. If you choose to not to have your contribution refunded, please know that your support will go towards our media and ground campaigns in Iowa and New Hampshire, while fighting to restore the Constitution and end the war in Iraq. Once again, we apologize for our error. Sincerely, The team at Chris Dodd for President. [emphasis ours]
Those "rules" and "laws" and what with the baseball and the Iraq all the time -- how's a Senator supposed to manage all this shit? He just wants friends, Butt Selig!
Dodd offers refunds after fundraising gimmick goes awry [Don't Tell the Donor]
