Congratulate me. I’m about to have dinner with President Barack Obama.

No kidding. Just yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden dropped me a line telling me that my chance at dinner with Barack Obama—yes, that Barack Obama—was as good as anyone’s and all I need to do to get that dinner with the President is contribute five dollars.

And in very tiny print, I saw I could have dinner with President Obama without even paying that five bucks!:

Believe it, boy. President Obama wants to have dinner with me. Or you. Or almost anyone who helps him raise money for his re-election campaign.

Remember when I told you that Barack Obama is the best negotiator of all time? Or for that matter, that negotiation is easy when you use all the tricks you have available? Well, take a look at this one. Why limit yourself to contributions from rich people when you can get millions of people with just a few dollars in their pocket to contribute to your campaign? Barack Obama, you are a genius. I’d be honored to have dinner with you.

Is it unseemly for the President of the United States to pull out all the stops to garner campaign contributions? No, of course not; it’s business. In fact, it’s smart business—it’s business change. The only part of this that bothered me was that little “no purchase necessary” disclaimer at the bottom of Vice President Biden’s message. I guess it’s nice that even the folks who don’t have five dollars to take a flyer on Dinner with President Obama can still win that dinner with the President, but seriously? Dinner With The President of The United States is a sweepstakes?

By definition, it probably is, and I’m happy that President Obama is smart enough to know that the rules apply even to him.

I’m looking forward to my Dinner with President Obama. And maybe I’ll see you there. But whether or not we meet at our Dinner With President Obama … if you need help with the strategy for your next business change, you can reach me here.

No purchase necessary.