Never Let a Crisis... [Updated]

Note:  Due to the reaction to this post, I have submitted a proposal for the Obama campaign in a new post here.  [Update: Point of clarification, since there has been confusion elsewhere: the "Donate" buttons are not in the email itself, only at the link.]

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    Sometime it almost feels wrong to point out bad taste, because it feel like the original offense is compounded.  But tonight I got an email from David Axelrod via Obama for America:

Friend -- 

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. 

Last night, President Obama addressed the families of Newtown, offering the love and prayers of a nation, and vowing to use whatever power his office holds to protect our children from such unthinkable acts of violence. 

He spoke from the heart -- as a president and a parent. Watch this speech: 

                           

http://my.barackobama.com/Newtown 

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.  

I hope you and the ones you love have a happy and safe holiday.  

Thanks,
David

    As I clicked on the link provided, I thought to myself, maybe once, just once, the Obama team will play against type and surprise me, given the scope of this horrific tragedy.  But it was not to be:

    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.

Note: Although I am not feeling very charitable towards Obama for America at the moment, I should note in fairness that Axelrod might not have intentionally connected his email with the "Donate" buttons that are ever-present on the BarackObama.com website.  But if/when someone realizes the crassness of the current setup, perhaps a link to the Newtown memorials will be forthcoming.  I will update if that happens.
Update: If anyone thinks I am being too hard on Team Obama, read this article (that I wrote about here) that documents how carefully the emails from the Obama campaign are crafted.

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Here is a link to an article with a list of the charities chosen by the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown.  And here's a Red Cross link.