Three slides from a 72-slide presentation on fundraising are causing headaches over at the RNC. The PowerPoint talks about why people give money, with “ego” and “fear” being the terms that have gotten the most press.
There’s nothing in the presentation that wouldn’t be found in most lectures or lessons on how to raise money – though the RNC could have chosen the word “urgency” over “fear.” Though embarrassing, the story will likely not affect many voters in November.
Yet this story matters to RNC donors.
The RNC is getting a bad reputation for its fundraising (or lack thereof). Michael Steele has been under fire for the amounts of money both coming in and going out. A frequent criticism is that Steele does not schmooze the big-dollar donors. This leaked presentation has hit the national media, but it’s only the latest in a series of stories in the inside the beltway trade press that hammers Steele – and donors who write big checks read those media outlets.
These stories will have no effect if the RNC is in front of its donors, keeping them updated on the organization’s plans and making sure that, no matter what Politico says, they are valued members of the team. If the RNC isn’t defining their donor relationships, Politico will do it for them.
Jim Eltringham 