Opinion: What about New England Patriots tickets?

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An enticing fundraising solicitation from Chris Dodd not only caught our attention but, unfortunately for him, also got noticed by Major League Baseball officials. And they threw the Democratic presidential candidate the proverbial curve ball.

In a note to potential contributors last week, Dodd’s campaign dangled the chance for one lucky donor to join the Connecticut senator at Boston’s Fenway Park for an upcoming playoff or World Series game. One problem -- the two tickets Dodd had in his possession technically remain league property. And it nixed the lottery that, in essence, he was running.

The campaign sought to make the best of the situation, offering refunds to those who wrote checks more because they wanted to go to a ballgame than help Dodd. Still operative, however, is the alternative that was available in case the Red Sox had been eliminated before the tickets could be used -- an opportunity to hang out for a day with Dodd on the campaign trail.

A New Hampshire newspaper, Foster’s Daily Democrat, provides some cautionary perspective on the increasing reliance on gimmicks to generate precious campaign cash. Pat Spirou of Southern New Hampshire University tells the paper: ‘It’s a new trend in political marketing and candidates are going to learn the hard way by making mistakes.’

-- Don Frederick