The Barack Obama re-election campaign is now giving couples (or, I guess, anyone that wants gifts) the chance to register with the Obama campaign:

Let your friends know how important this election is to you—register with Obama 2012, and ask for a donation in lieu of a gift. It’s a great way to support the President on your big day. Plus, it’s a gift that we can all appreciate—and goes a lot further than a gravy bowl.

Like the constant emails and advertisements for dinners with Sarah Jessica Parker and George Clooney, this move seems amusing at first and horribly desperate and sad upon further contemplation. Is this the new norm for a post-Citizens United world? I applaud the Obama campaign’s ingenuity but feel genuine concern for the state of our democracy if that is indeed the case.

For more of his musings on politics, follow William on Twitter.