Chris hayes makes a series of very sound, very insightful points on Obama's fundraising total in this post. But the iPhone comparison seems wildly off-base:
the psychology and motivations for small donors is quite different than for large donors. If you're a big donor, you want access: a rubber chicken dinner, a photo-op, maybe a phone call answered. For small donors, it's entirely a different calculation. It's not because you think the $50 will buy you influence, or even, really, make that big of a difference. It's an identity statement, and a desire to be a part of something. When you pay that money, you become part of the Obama Phenomenon. That's what people are buying. Do you think the folks who stood on line on Friday to buy an iPhone were standing online to purchase a piece of consumer electronics? No, they were doing it to be a part of something.
Color me skeptical. I think they were lining up because holding an iPhone receipt is the only way to truly know you're saved:
