McCain Offers Prizes To Bloggers Who Spread Talking Points

[Kire]

Source: Washington Post

Win Points for McCain!
Rewards Program for Online Commenters

By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 7, 2008; Page C01

Spread John McCain's official talking points around the Web -- and you could win valuable prizes!

That, in essence, is the McCain campaign's pitch to supporters to join its new online effort, one that combines the features of "AstroTurf" campaigning with the sort of customer-loyalty programs offered by airlines, hotel chains, restaurants and the occasional daily newspaper.

<snip>

People who sign up for McCain's program receive reward points each time they place a favorable comment on one of the listed Web sites (subject to verification by McCain's webmasters). The points can be traded for prizes, such as books autographed by McCain, preferred seating at campaign events, even a ride with the candidate on his bus, known as the Straight Talk Express, according to campaign spokesman Brian Rogers.

"Anytime you're getting supporters activated into online communities or taking other actions to spread the word, that's a win," Rogers says.

"Reward points" or other incentives for political work aren't a new concept. The Republican National Committee started a rewards program for volunteer fundraisers several years ago.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

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This is just unreal.

[closeupready]

1. Is DU on his list?

And would we get extra points?

[NJmaverick]

4. Nope here is a list of his liberal blogs

ColoradoPols

A left-leaning political blog, focusing on Colorado Politics. Go to Site


Crooks and Liars

John Amato’s blog Go to Site


DailyKos

Go to Site


MyDD

Go to Site


Think Progress

[rurallib]

9. Kos and MyDD? do they really think they can slip in unnoticed there?

oh- what a feeding frenzy that will cause.

[Kire]

10. I wonder if they'll announce the winners.

and provide a list with links to every last comment made

I doubt it, though

one can dream

[Amerigo Vespucci]

12. Same for Crooks & Liars...

...a significant portion of what I post here comes from Amato's site. The regular posters are smart as a whip and look under every rock for nuance. You'll get a video clip that's on YouTube, but they back it up with cross-references from a half a dozen sites like Talking Points Memo, etc. I seldom read the comments, so I'm sure there's got to be a percentage of dweebs seeking "McCain Bonus Points," but they will most certainly get called out for their efforts.

[Hekate]

11. DU's not on the list? Well, now my feelings are hurt. lol. Seriously, though...

... I've recommended it here before: DU should have a list of the latest RW talking points available, and DUers should be prepared to jump on those who purvey them.

Hekate

[NJmaverick]

18. I guess that's the price you pay when you are "underground"

[Bozita]

2. Wow! I can win a ride on the Straight Talk Express.

Straight to the bump shop.

[NJmaverick]

6. More like the Double Talk Express

[tabatha]

3. Bribery and corruption.

[NJmaverick]

5. There is something fundementally dishonest with this latest effort

From the double talk express.

[CitizenPatriot]

13. strikes me same way

they give out talking points (god, how embarrassing - if we knew what they were, we could really throw them off by changing the subject), tell them what to say and then they direct them to the websites to post. Propaganda....Naw. I must be paranoid.

[Hugin]

7. I'm going for the Paris Hilton reward points...

Because... That's hawt!

Also, I'd rather ride on her bus. It's probably safer.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. A guerilla action like this...

Is best fought using the same sort of tactics.

[formercia]

14. At least Hillary offered cash.

How many points do I need to get laid?

[progressivebydesign]

16. Obama had paid bloggers as well.

Anyone who relies on the words of supposedly objective anonymous posters and bloggers is probably not fit to vote. Every single person here and on those sites knows that the majority of comments are being paid for.

[formercia]

21. Obama had paid bloggers?

Sources?

[wordpix]

15. he,he, methinks those liberal bloggers will drown his take-pride-in-ignorance talking pts with

some real facts and links to non-talking pts. reality.

[Froward69]

17. He has Colorado pols listed as a liberal

site. when that site is straight down the middle.

upon further investigation one can see where the freepers are trying to push Mccain then getting chastised for their efforts by fellow republicans. insofar as "back it up" or pleese not here. the best was from an "I" who told a freeper "that tears it you convinced me, I am voting for Obama now..."

[Nye Bevan]

19. Obama is a MUSLIM.

McCain is a MAVERICK.

(All major credit cards accepted. I also welcome Paypal).

[struggle4progress]

20. Maybe we can design some posts for DUers who want to play:

People who say John is a sexist are just jealous -- because as soon as he divorcing the mother of his three oldest children, a woman who originally a model but who was disfigured in an auto accident, John married a much younger beauty queen. He can't help it if he's lucky. Let's look at the facts. Is John McCain a sexist simply because he calls his current wife Cindy "you c*nt"? John and Cindy have a good relationship! John even says he recently stopped beating her, and Cindy didn't complain when he recently offered to enter her in a topless contestant at a biker rally. Sure, John likes to joke sometimes about how women enjoy being beaten senseless and raped, but what biker doesn't?