McCain Aide Acknowledges Voter Suppression Strategy

[smkyle1]

I spoke with a contact in the McCain camp who said, “There have been meetings and conference calls between people here (at McCain’s campaign headquarters), people at the RNC and groups out in Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania, and maybe a few other states creating a strategy to harass voters and challenge ballots.”

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/10/22/mccain-aide-acknowledges-voter-suppression-strategy/

[mzmolly]

1. Thus McCain's confidence in spite of the polls?

Welcome. :hi:

[smkyle1]

21. thank you

I had to go to meeting which is why it took me so long to respond. Great site you have.

[mzmolly]

22. It's not my website

but I appreciate you're interest. :hi:

[Greyskye]

2. That needs to get to the MSM, as well as the Feds

And Welcome to DU!

:kick: & R

[smkyle1]

4. thanks for the welcome

I'm just trying to figure out how to use this site. I'm lovin all of this information. The dissent going on within the McCain campaign and their involvement in underhanded tactics is starting to get more coverage in MSM (i.e. the backwards "B", the leaks that Palin is going rogue, etc.).

My hubby and I do our best with our e-zine,

http://www.laprogressive.com/

As you know, the blogosphere is increasingly becoming the place that anyone seriously interested in learning what is going on turns to. (sorry for the run on sentence)

Sharon

[abumbyanyothername]

3. Not saying it isn't true but . . .

These stories with unattributed quotes from anonymous sources can be viewed as dubious.

Can anyone vouch for Charlie (the author of the article)?

[smkyle1]

10. Anonymous sources

The concern over anonymous sources is a valid one and one I've shared. Although I don't have a background in journalism I took it upon myself to become a citizen journalist. Not because I felt it was an easy thing to do because I have tremendous respect for those who do it well. I did it because I needed an outlet for my frustration with the current administration. As a result, I publish a small e-zine that has attracted many contributing writers. Charley James is one of those writers.

He wrote the piece that went viral about Palin being racist. Anyway, Charley has for many years, been an investigative reporter. When we (my husband and I) published his article about Lucille the waiter (if you don't know what I'm referring to, it can be found here:
http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/05/alaskans-speak-in-a-frightened-whisper-palin-is-%e2%80%9cracist-sexist-vindictive-and-mean%e2%80%9d/

we met with Charley to confirm his sources. We have also done that with follow on articles.

The use of anonymous sources is a long standing practice in journalism but one that often results in attacks on the writers/publishers credibility. PBS did an expose on this topic:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/july-dec98/sources_9-30.html

I think it is wise for all of us to read with a healthy dose of skepticism and a critical eye. But I think we should consider all sources, even those who want to remain anonymous because without them we may never have known about Watergate and many other history making stories.

[iceman66]

5. Obama's people have been telling us for months

that they are ready for this.

God, I hope so!

[AuntPatsy]

13. He is also hinting that we ourselves may just have to do more come Nov 5th..

I'm ready, I hope the millions of other sane American citizens are as well...

No way will I just sit back weeping at another theft, NOT this time...no way...

:mad:

[iceman66]

6. Just read the entire article.

If this is true, Steve Schmidt should be in prison, not running a national campaign.

Any chance that these "contacts" will turn whistleblower?

[KittyWampus]

8. these "contacts" are fictitious but a great way to get traffic to your website.

[smkyle1]

11. It is my website

You are partly correct. These stories do bring traffic to the website. But attracting traffic does not render a story false.

[smkyle1]

16. the anonymous source might come forward if they are incentivized to do so

Who can say what their plans are for the future. Based on the leaks that are coming out of the McCain campaign, I suspect we're going to hear a lot more in the coming days and weeks.

[KittyWampus]

7. one of this guys sources says about voting "the guy in front of me wearing an Obama shirt"

HELLO? You aren't allowed to wear an Obama t-shirt to the polls and would be kicked out.

[iceman66]

12. That is not the case in all states.

[smkyle1]

17. campaign t shirts at the polls

We have all heard that you shouldn't wear Obama t-shirts when you go to the polls. I've been searching for a while but couldn't find anything "official" or "definitive" on this issue even after exploring the California Secretary of State website and the Los Angeles County Voter Registrar's website. So I called the L.A. County Voter registrar. They told me that this is, in fact, true in California. So I asked if they could refer me to an "official" site where this rule is posted. I was placed on hold for about 3 mins. The person helping me explained that the rule is not posted but that the L.A. Voter Registrar, after receiving several calls inquiring about this rule, had contacted the Secretary of State's office (SOS) to get clarity on this issue. He says the SOS Office faxed a letter to the L.A. County Voter Registrar and that he would email it to me. If he mails it I'll post it here.

[smkyle1]

18. Official positon on campaign t-shirts at the polls in the state of California

It took awhile but this is what I found:

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/10/29/dont-wear-obama-t-shirts-to-the-polls-says-office-of-la-county-voter-registrar/

[DrToast]

9. Anyone else think this guy is full of it?

I don't doubt that there is voter suppression going on, but I don't believe this guy is that clued into what is going on.

[iceman66]

14. If it is such BS

why is the Obama camp preparing for exactly what is described?

[Lionhearted]

26. What choice does McCain Have?

McCain stepped away from his bogus claim of honorable campaigning long ago. It's clear he'll do anything and say anything that'll get him elected. Palin, of course, was never burdened with honorable claims.

[Overseas]

15. K&R for the voter suppression file.

The strategy they're discussing is nothing new to them.

They stirred up the fake ACORN controversy to give a sense of legitimacy to the type of legally permissible harassment they conducted in Ohio 2004, challenging voter registrations at the polls. This is ostensibly to "guard against voter fraud" (which is almost non-existent) but actually designed to slow the lines down for hours to discourage Democrats from hanging in there to vote.

Challenge the voter registrations knowing that they'll be fine but just doing the checking takes enough time to slow things down.

This is one of the old fashioned methods Republicans have used in recent elections to depress Democratic vote counts.

Others are the voter roll purging, robo calls and fliers misdirecting voters, and Republican Secretaries of State distributing less machines than recommended to Democratic precincts, thus again lengthening the lines.

[DeepBlueDem]

19. Contact the DNC, FEC, and the Obama HQ. I have already

[asdjrocky]

20. Way to bring it on post 18!

Welcome to DU :hi:!

[smkyle1]

25. thanks for supporting micro-media

Initially, I didn't have a clue on how these discussion forums worked. Now it's beginning to make sense. This original post contains factual info the major media is just starting to cover. Somehow, I doubt there will be a full investigation of voter fraud because I suspect the culpability spreads far and wide.

[Laelth]

23. Welcome to DU!

I remember the head of the Republican Party in Michigan (or some Michigan Republican bigwig) admitting in 2004 that they were "going to be in big trouble in Michigan if they didn't suppress the Detroit vote."

We catch them admitting their attempts to take away the rights of certain citizens to vote every election. For some reason, nothing is ever done about it. There's a double standard for Republicans, you see. They're expected to be evil and corrupt, and, 9 times out of 10, they're never caught, never punished, and nobody cares.

Perhaps this will start to change after January 20, 2009.

:shrug:

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Jennicut]

24. Assholes. Lots of Rethugs mad at Charlie Crist. Maybe he will be voted in again

unlike many Rethugs who stand in the way of democracy once again.