October 18, 2017 11:40 AM UTC

So Many Want To See Mike Pence, It's Half Price! Wait, What?

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #2: Denverite’s Erica Meltzer updates as the Colorado GOP weaves all over the road:

However, later in the afternoon, GOP Executive Director Shana Banberger, said that tickets sold have already exceeded expectations of 400 attendees. She described the initial information as “inaccurate” without clarifying what, specifically, was wrong. (I’ve asked for that clarification, and I’ll update this story if I get a response.)

“It is unfortunate that incorrect information was released on the upcoming event with our vice president,” she wrote. “Despite inaccurate reporting, we will exceed our expected attendance of 400 supporters.”

Obviously, the first problem is that the Post reported (see below) 800 tickets.

Second, the “incorrect information” came from (see below) the GOP’s own spokesman.

This is not a good day for the Colorado Republican Party’s press shop, folks.

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UPDATE: Rapidly becoming the butt of the day’s jokes:

If I had a dime for every time I saw ticket prices slashed because too many people were buying them… I’d have a nickel. #copolitics https://t.co/AB2y5ABp4I

— Marshall Zelinger (@Marshall9News) October 18, 2017

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Denver Post’s John Frank reporting and it’s just kind of sad:

Because of a lack of demand, the Colorado Republican Party is offering a Groupon-like deal to see Vice President Mike Pence…

The party announced the event weeks earlier but struggled to sell the 800 tickets available. So now it’s lowering the lowest-price ticket to $150, a 45 percent discount. A couple can attend with a two-for-one deal at the original $275 price.

…Colorado Republican Party Chairman Jeff Hays tried to put his best spin on the news, writing in an email Wednesday: “Due to popular demand, we have made more tickets available at a new lower price.” But the same invite later says space is limited.

Which is funny, because Frank’s story was published at 11:15 this morning–in which the Colorado GOP concedes “We couldn’t fill the large room at that ticket level.” Just an hour before on Twitter, though, the same Colorado GOP said:

We knew we would take a media hit over lowering the prices, but decided allowing more people to enjoy the event would be worth it. https://t.co/D8E6cO2aUb

— The Colorado GOP (@cologop) October 18, 2017

Apparently that was the spin before it occurred to, well, everybody that you don’t reduce the ticket price in response to increased demand. We have to believe it would have been less embarrassing to simply curtain off part of the venue if you can’t fill it than offering a bad Vegas magic show discount to see the Vice President of the United States.

Mike Pence at half price! The insult to your intelligence is gratis.