Dems stalk donors with apocalyptic emails

The e-mailed pleas grew more whiny and desperate with each passing hour.

"I'm pleading."

"We're begging."

"This could be the end."

"kiss any hope goodbye."

"We're done. Go home. Give up."

No, that's not a transcript of your innermost thoughts on a tough day at work. Instead, those  were the subject lines of a series of progressively panicky emails sent to Democratic donors in the days leading up to Tuesday's quarterly fundraising deadline, a little more than a month before election day. The missives stuffed inboxes, inspired mockery, and annoyed many recipients. Based on the available evidence, they also probably worked.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D.,Calif.) tried to shame a friend of mine on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, probably the biggest user of the apocalyptic style of fundraising email:

"Hillary Clinton asked for your help this week. President Obama asked for your help this week.
So far, more than 80,000 of our best supporters have responded to their calls-to-action. But sadly, it doesn't look like you're on that list. Michael, they asked for your help. Now, I'm pleading for your help. With 48 hours to go until the deadline, we're lagging dangerously behind. We need 9,000 more donors to step up tonight just to keep pace. Can I count on you?"

Then, the email offered several options for my friend to "chip in" with a donation of $5 to $250 - to help stave off the end of the world as we know it, also known as continued Republican control of the U.S. House.

Democrats are expected to lose seats in the House and their candidates are trailing Republicans in key Senate races, so it might be reasonable to expect a level of anger and panic. Yet the donor base is fired up, party strategists say.

As proof, the DCCC has outraised its counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee by some $30 million this two-year election cycle, thanks in large measure to $50 million in small-dollar donations.

"The level of outrage that our list feels about the Republican Congress is very real," Kelly Ward, the DCCC's executive director, told The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe. "They continue to take action and continue to set priorities that are out of step with the country, and our lists reflect that and they respond with contributions. They are very energized."

How can this stalking possibly work? Perhaps the answer lies in evolution. After all, a negative message – "a saber-toothed tiger is headed this way" – packs more psychological oomph than a merely positive one.

My good friend Colby Itkowitz, also of The Post, interviewed several psychologists about the Democrats' tactic here.