In a comment to Silencing the opposition, I referred tongue-in-cheek to "The Audacity of Control." How about Audacity of Arrogance, or Audacity of Extortion? The Obama campaign isn't just silencing Clinton supporters, it's pressuring people into doing volunteer work for a chance to attend the Obamassiah's acceptance speech:
Some of those hoping to wrangle a seat for Barack Obama's speech were told this week they have to put in six hours of volunteer work for his campaign by Friday to have a shot at a ticket.
And that ruffled at least a few feathers.
"My whole reason why I'm so mad about it is because Democrats need to act like Democrats," said Heather Kreider, a working mother from Centennial.
…
Doing the volunteer work only makes someone eligible for a ticket and doesn't guarantee one, according to the phone message from the campaign.
Campaign officials are doing damage control, claiming only ticket applicants who checked a box to do volunteer work are being contacted, and that those who decline don't lose their shot at a ticket. Kreider and others contacted say otherwise:
But Kreider said she is certain she didn't hit the "volunteer" box on the online application.
Still, Kreider got a message telling her that she had to do six hours of volunteer work by Friday if she wanted a chance at a ticket. Kreider said she will not do the work.
"Absolutely not," she said. "Now it's pure principal. I was a Hillary Clinton supporter, and this is literally my first touch with the Obama campaign. And it's just disappointing."
A man, who spoke to the Rocky on the condition that he not be named, said he got a message saying he had to do 12 hours of phone work or canvassing to have a chance at the two tickets he wants.
Asked if he planned to do the work, he said "hell no" and called the campaign's conditions "blackmail."
The Drunkablog has more, including a link to audio of one of the extortion calls, courtesy of Westword.
UPDATE: See also ID required.
