Team Obama still raising money--off Sandy Hook shootings

They won the campaign handily and even had $14.2 million to spare, but the Obama-Biden campaign is still raising money, this time off the president's comments about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Connecticut.

In email from chief campaign advisor David Axelrod that urges supporters to watch President Obama's moving address to the community of Newtown, Conn., there are two links that open a page with a video player featuring the president's speech and two donate buttons asking for $15-$1,000 for his campaign.

"The next chapter begins today. Stand with President Obama for the next four years," headlines the donation and video player page.

While he links to the donation pages in his email, Axelrod did not mention donations with his words. Instead, he expresses the horror the nation feels about the shootings. "Our hearts broke on Friday as we learned of the tragic and senseless deaths of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut," he wrote. "As we reflect on the lives lost last week, we must also, as the president urged, consider how each of us can play a part in making our country worthy of the memory of those little children."

But above and below a picture of Obama giving his speech are two links to the donation and video player page. One reads, "Watch this speech." The other reads "http://my.barackobama.com/Newton". Clicking the picture also directs supporters to the video player and donation page.

Obama critic and blogger Jeryl Bier wrote, "Not one, but two buttons - two opportunities to donate to the Obama campaign. Not to the Red Cross, or to a memorial fund for the children and adults killed in Newtown. How hard would it have been to shift the focus, disable the buttons, for just one email, just one blog post? But the show must go on."

Source: http://washingtonexaminer.com/team-obama-still-raising-money-off-sa...