Asking for an assistantship

[Squawker]

I've been offered places at 2 MA programs, one with no funding (I don't think they offer any to MA students) and one with fully paid tuition plus a stipend. I want to attend the former, but I've been told by some people that I should ask them for some kind of assistantship, and that I could have success if I tell them that I've received a "better" offer somewhere else. Has anyone here done this? It doesn't seem wrong to ask, but I don't want to start off on the wrong foot by demanding money from these people right after they accepted me and after I more or less told them their program was my first choice.

[sarajune]

As long as you're polite about it, what's wrong with asking? It's your right to ask, and if they can't the worst they'll do is say "no"