I’ve subscribed to Barack’s daily email. It’s fascinating. His message is vacuous hope. But the technique is awesome.

Ohio and Texas were acknowledged yesterday. Now we’re moving on. Here’s today’s personal message, for example:

“Stephen —

I want to add some more news to David’s [campaign manager] note about the state of the race.

As you know, we’ve won 27 of 41 contests and have maintained our commanding lead among pledged delegates. But today I want to share another staggering number: supporters like you donated more than $55 million to this campaign in the month of February.

That’s a humbling achievement, and I am very grateful for your support. No campaign has ever raised this much in a single month in the history of presidential primaries. But more important than the total is how we did it — more than 90% of donations were $100 or less, and more than 385,000 new donors in February pushed us past our goal of more than 1,000,000 people owning a piece of this campaign.

From the beginning, this campaign has always been funded by a movement of grassroots supporters giving whatever they can afford. And unlike Senator Clinton and Senator McCain, we have never taken money from lobbyists or PACs.

Senator Clinton has decided to use her resources to wage a negative, throw-everything-including-the-kitchen-sink campaign. John McCain has clinched the Republican nomination and is attacking us daily. But I will continue to vigorously defend my record and make the case for change that will improve the lives of all Americans.

I need your help to continue this battle on two separate fronts. Now is the time to step up and own a piece of this campaign.Please make a donation of $25 today:https://donate.barackobama.com/math

Thank you for your support,

Barack”

Then it goes on over David Plouffe’s signature for another 20cm with four further appeals for $25, each time with the link to click.

The $55m figure is awesome. So is 90% 0f donations under $100, so that 1m people feel they “own a piece of this campaign”.

That is powerful participatory democracy. I can say from experience that the most honest criticism comes from those who feel they’ve earned the right to tell you what they really think of you.

Generally sane enemies dont bother with advice or criticism of a sitting politician, except in public and with destructive intent. People who don’t like you just avoid you. Most of the rest are a bit unctuous when they meet politicians. They flatter. It is hard to get genuine frank and helpful criticism. Except from those who feel they’ve a stake in how you perform and the right to demand performance.

That’s why I oppose full state funding. MMP has done enough already to cut the links between ordinary voters and their MPs. The last thing we need is a cadre of greasers indifferent to their supporters because there is nothing they need from them and even more beholden to their party bosses.