[quote]Newt Gingrich's campaign says that a new policy to charge supporters $50 to take a photo with the GOP hopeful is really a way to showcase the grass-roots strength of his shoestring campaign.
Reporters traveling with the former House speaker on Monday [URL="http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/26/10875905-gingrich-criticizes-obama-charges-attendees-50-per-photo"]took note of the new paid photo policy[/URL], observing that he had long taken pictures with people attending his events for free.
A campaign spokesman said Gingrich will continue to do so when he works the rope lines after he speaks. But a "new tactic" is to make a special appeal to supporters for a more formal photo opportunity in return for a modest contribution.
R.C. Hammond, the spokesman, said some campaigns "make you travel all the way to Wall Street to pay $2,500 for a photo." And already, the more grass-roots appeal is paying off.
"Every dollar and every supporter count and our campaign is propelled forward one small donor at a time," he said.
The campaign could use the dollars. Gingrich raised just $2.6 million in February and spent $2.8 million, leaving him with $1.54 million in cash and $1.55 million in debt.
His campaign is benefiting from continued infusions of money into a "super PAC" backing his campaign, mostly from casino magnate [URL="http://www.wtkr.com/topic/economy-business-finance/sheldon-adelson-PEBSL00381.topic"]Sheldon Adelson[/URL] and his family. The Adelsons gave $5.5 million to Winning Our Future in February, bringing their total to $16.5 million.
Gingrich acknowledged his tight finances during a stop in [URL="http://www.wtkr.com/topic/us/maryland/anne-arundel-county/annapolis-PLGEO100100602010000.topic"]Annapolis[/URL], Md., Tuesday, but maintained he'll have enough to stay in the race until the national convention in [URL="http://www.wtkr.com/news/nationworld/la-pn-newt-gingrich-50-dollar-photo-policy-20120327,0,7520411.story#"]Tampa, Fla., in[/URL] August.
"Clearly we're going to have to go on a fairly tight budget to get from here to Tampa," he said, according to our colleagues [URL="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-gingrich-20120327,0,2242111.story"]at the Baltimore Sun[/URL].
Gingrich also found time for a stop at the [URL="http://www.wtkr.com/topic/us/maryland/wicomico-county/salisbury-%28wicomico-maryland%29-PLGEO100100620020000.topic"]Salisbury[/URL] Zoo in Salisbury, Md. Admission there is free.[/quote]
[url]http://www.wtkr.com/news/nationworld/la-pn-newt-gingrich-50-dollar-photo-policy-20120327,0,7520411.story[/url]
I can see why he's doing this, even if it's a PR stunt to give them that humble, grassroots vibe.
[quote]a special appeal to supporters for a more formal photo opportunity in return for a modest contribution.[/quote]
Because 50 bucks for a picture is a modest contribution.
I keep forgetting he's even in the race. He isn't going to get the nomination.
So if a picture is worth 1,000 words, saying something to him costs 5 cents a pop?
He just sacked a third of his campaign staff and replaced his manager. He's reduced the number of events he's doing. This is the swan song of his shitty run for Pres!
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17538746[/url]
[QUOTE=Ericson666;35329972]So if a picture is worth 1,000 words, saying something to him costs 5 cents a pop?[/QUOTE]
Bizarre mental image of a man belching nickles while speaking.
For a hundred dollars he'll let you take a picture without him :v:
[QUOTE=Alan Ninja!;35335969]For a hundred dollars he'll let you take a picture without him :v:[/QUOTE]
And for 15 dollars you can just buy a cheap digital camera and take a picture of him while he isnt looking.
You think this is a nice gesture, until he takes a picture of him standing in front of a crowd at one of his big rallies and tries to take money from 10,000 people.
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