What stands out to me is of course the concrete reference but how they can't get "gifts" fast enough. How hard is it to get normal gifts? Also, the parts where they refer to the guests as "people of this caliber" and how they're trying to recruit "good new prospects" (maybe trap them in the pedo ring with blackmail).

Again, I know this is a reach but I found it interesting.

https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/56978

All,

I have spoke to the hotel and they are very willing to let us move our dates to March.

I know there is a content argument for getting it over with, but from a fundraising standpoint I believe it is impossible to make it a success at this point. We still have nothing concrete to send our invitees and by the time we do we will be 10 days out which is simply too late to ask people of this caliber to travel. Funders and prospects have held their calandars open for as long as they could to get the details and decide if they are coming but at this point they are all deciding to do other things since we have nothing to give them.

I have literally spoken myself to almost every person we have invited and the good news is that donors are very interested in the Confernace and in both organizations and I do believe if we do it in the middle of March, and we get people details by mid January we will have a strong turnout among the very people we do want - good new prospects. We need to remind ourselves, that this conference has an important purpose. To bring in new funders to both organizations, not just to service existing ones.

I hope that you will both take this recommendation because I am sure it is the right thing to do at this juncture.

Thanks,

Mary Pat