Obama Campaign Staffers Fueled By "Bad" Food, Sez Top Official

Perhaps First Lady Obama needs to drop by President Obama's re-election campaign headquarters in Chicago and give some tips on healthy eating and moderation: The overworked staffers are absolutely gorging on lousy food, according to Rufus Gifford, the National Finance Director for Obama for America.  Staffers have eaten a year's worth of junk in "the past few weeks," Gifford said today.  And they're hyper-caffeinated, too.

"We've all had more pizza and bad takeout in the past few weeks than anyone should have in a year," Gifford wrote in an e-mail request for a $3 donation.

"The staff and I are working around the clock, powered by too much coffee."

Gifford was unperturbed by the fact that he and his fellow staffers might be facing years of consequences--and huge health-care costs--from diet-related diseases.

"No one's complaining; that's what we signed up for," Gifford wrote. Though he does mention that "It's been way too long since we called our moms."

President Obama's Administration has created a comprehensive, multi-agency attack on obesity and diet-related disease, coordinated by Mrs. Obama's Let's move! campaign, but apparently Obama for America hasn't gotten the memo. Maybe it's time for staffers to take the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award challenge, which now includes a nutrition component, Mrs. Obama announced last weekend.

Gifford's e-mail had the subject heading "Why we've been sending you emails."

The text:

Friend --

I'm the national finance director here at OFA.

I know we've been sending you a lot of email lately. That's because we're staring down a critical fundraising deadline tomorrow at midnight.

You know what that means for your inbox, but let me give you a sense of what that looks like around here.

The staff and I are working around the clock, powered by too much coffee. It's been way too long since we called our moms. And we've all had more pizza and bad takeout in the past few weeks than anyone should have in a year.

No one's complaining; that's what we signed up for. And we're not doing this just because it's our job to make sure the campaign has the resources it needs. We're doing this because it's part of what defines this movement.

From the beginning, we've refused to take money from D.C. lobbyists and corporate special interests. Our operation is fueled by people inspiring each other to take ownership of this campaign.

That's why we've been emailing this week, and that's why I'm obligated to remind you once more that the deadline is coming up in a matter of hours.

If you're able to, will you chip in just $3 today?

https://donate.barackobama.com/Friday-Deadline

For all of us here at HQ, and all of the staff and volunteers across the country counting on these resources, I really appreciate your help.

Rufus

Rufus Gifford
National Finance Director
Obama for America
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*Photo: President Obama enjoys a Kringle, a kind of donut, during a visit to Ohio.