Specter Modifies Misleading Cancer Website
On Friday, we told you about Specter For The Cure--a website that appeared at first blush to be a fundraising hub for the fight against cancer, but was in fact a fundraising hub for the re-election of Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA).
The site still serves that purpose, but, as Adam Green noted over the weekend, it's now more explicit about its real aims:
In 2010, Arlen Specter will seek re-election to the United States Senate. With his unsurpassed record of support for medical research, helping to return Senator Specter to the Senate is a powerful statement on behalf of those suffering with disease. The purpose of this web site is to encourage support for Senator Specter's mission to improve America's health by helping assure Senator Specter's re-election....Become a member, today, of Specter for the Cure. Please contribute to Senator Specter's re-election Committee - Citizens for Arlen Specter. All contributions, of any amount, will be gratefully welcomed. Those who sign up to donate $10 each month for ten months, will receive members only information on the Senator's effort to transform medical research and accelerate cures.
Cancer may have been a bridge too far, but we'll be on the lookout for new Specter initiatives, like, perhaps, Specter For Orphaned Puppies, on the off chance that something like that surfaces.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Maybe Specter is turning the corner. He made a huge improvement is his website at least.
May 11, 2009 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I appreciate Specter's new honesty on this website. Truth be told, while some might find it still in poor taste, he makes a good point, and a 'clever' fundraising tool- that said, he lost major points with me by not being honest in the first place
May 11, 2009 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Next Specter fund raising website: donate now or Arlen will drop a baby!
May 11, 2009 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
The modification is good, but the look of the site is what is misleading. It looks exactly like a non-profit.
A better correction would be to remove the woman with the tape and put a photo of Arlen somewhere on the top.
May 11, 2009 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree, AF, that it the change is good but could be better. I still believe that they should make it crystal clear EVERY TIME they mention "donate" that it is to the re-election campaign and not "Specter for the Cure".
I saw no way that you could "become a member of Specter for the Cure" WITHOUT contributing to his re-election campaign. Some people might still believe that they are becoming a member of "Specter for the Cure" by "donating" without contributing to the re-election campaign.
I think further clarifications are necessary.
May 11, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink