The Update Desk: Who Loves Me, Baby? (7)

It's time for another update on the Dems (and Bernie) running for president. I have to tell you, my social experiment has been enlightening, for sure. I'm learning all kinds of stuff about the candidates, if not about their positions, and about how to ask for money, tips I'll keep in mind for my annual fundraising for my favorite charity.

This week, I got 161 emails; Julian Castro (26), Joe Biden (21), Kamala Harris (20) and Cory Booker (16) led the way. A little less frenzied? Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders (14 each) Pete Buttigieg, Beto O'Rourke and Amy Klobuchar  (13 each) and Andrew Yang (11).

I want to share some email subject lines with you, so you get the true feel for how things are going out there, starting with the most desperate of them all, Castro. Take a look at these:

• four emails received 10/22: this could be the end; Julian Castro RESCUED; unfortunately; vulnerably asking
• three emails received 10/23: in dire need; TRAGIC ending; I won't sugarcoat this
• one email received 10/24: the fate of my campaign

Biden's emails, while slightly less frequent, generally reached out with Castro-like subject lines: we're dropping; we fell short; reaching out to you personally; I hate doing this; here's the honest truth; please. 

Booker is pushing not only his charming personality, but his girlfriend's too: I think Rosario reached out, Sue; Have you ever wanted to hang out with Rosario Dawson AND Cory Booker?; Have you entered to meet Rosario Dawson and Cory Booker yet, Sue?; So, what do you say, Sue, dinner?  

And here are four emails in four days from Kamala Harris, the other candidate in the 'desperate' column: not so great news; since this morning; absolutely critical; clear. These relate primarily to daily fundraising goals that are not being met, or barely being met.

So, the candidates that are happier, who are doing better since the debate last week?

• Warren was pushing to get 2 million contributions, with one email on the 18th, two on the 19th, and two on the 20th, including the one announcing the milestone had been reached. 

• Sanders was torn between leveraging Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and not even mentioning her. There were two emails on the 19th featuring her, one with a picture of the two of them at his rally. Over the next three days he was still talking about the rally, but not about her. 

• Klobuchar was in a celebratory mood after her debate performance, including a thank you for blowing past the $100K one-day-post-debate fundraising goal. In the first 24 hours, her campaign raised $1.1 million, with a $2M total for the week.

• Yang was heavily focused on proving people wrong, helping convince people who haven't made up their mind yet that he's the right one, and on his 10-hour Q&A (huge props for that). But it sounds like he has too little cash on hand, which could be a problem. 

• Mayor Pete also raised a million bucks in the first 24 hours after the debate, and there were five emails related to his latest contest: a trip to San Francisco to see Hamilton with his husband. The subject line on one of those? young, scrappy and hungry. Gotta love that! And, he wins the the prize for the email of the week.

Next week? I'll try and cull the herd so this becomes a little more manageable, unless the herd culls itself.