GOP Makes Millions of Obnoxious Robocalls
Liberal bloggers are trying desperately this evening to get the mainstream media to cover a dirty trick of monumental proportions being waged by the Republican National Committee: Millions of obnoxious automated calls are being made that sound like they're coming from Democratic candidates.On their blog, the Washington bureau of the Chigago Tribune explains the stunt:
I have received a deluge of emails since last night from Democrats complaining about the flood of last-minute phone calls Republicans are making to voters in an effort drive down the Democratic vote tomorrow.
The e-mailers are upset about "robocalls" -- pre-recorded, automated phone calls containing anti-Democratic political messages.
The calls initially sound like they're coming from the Democratic candidates since they mention the Democrat's name right off the bat.
But they're actually being made by Republican organizations like the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Because the calls come in repeatedly to the same voters, Democrats fear the annoyed recipients of the calls, who often hang up before it becomes apparent that the calls are being made by Republicans, will be turned off to their candidates, blaming Democrats for interrupting their dinner or sleep.
Some people who have received these calls say that after they hang up, they're being called back 5-7 more times. New Hampshire has challenged automated calls coming to people on the national do-not-call list.
Joshua Marshall of Talking Points Memo has more on the story, which he describes as an "election subversion operation."
Comments
I am a Republican and I will tell you that if this is happening then it is a total disgrace. Politics in America has reached a low point. Ameircan Democracy has become a near joke. Trickery and seems to be the name of the game. What would George Washington say?
I don't put anything past Bush, Rove, et al and I am very concerned about this. It undermines everything this country is all about. We may as well be living under fascism. Hell, I guess we already are!!
If these disgusting and sleazy tricks didn't continue to work so well for Mr. Rove he wouldn't rely on them so much. What ever happened to the concept of just doing a good job for the US citizens in order to be re-elected? I guess there's not enough personal wealth built into that method. And who's impressed with honor and dignity anymore? I just hope that we haven't seen our last election by the democratic process!!!
I hope this not true or somehow Mr Drudge got the facts confused.
If this is true it redefines the term "over-the-top".
"What ever happened to the concept of just doing a good job for the US citizens in order to be re-elected" you ask? Are you from ancient Athens? I couldn't say if that's how things worked back then, but it's the last time anyone but a fool believed so.
You can turn this right around on the repulsicans by calling 1-202-479-7000 and demanding to be put on their DO NOT CALL list. You can also leave a comment telling them what you think of them in general and this particularly revolting trick in particular. I did and it felt GREAT!
I recall, if I'm not mistaken, that in the late '80's the Republican National Committee was busted for one of their most bottom-feeding operations (nothing is too low for them or Karl Rove).
These pretend defenders of the family and their version of 'The American Way' sent out mass mailings to senior citizens, including many World War II vets, to solicit them for what appeared to be a one-time contribution. Closer inspection of the fine print revealed that the recipient who signed his or her name was agreeing to let automatic monthly debits to their bank account be paid to the RNC, in perpetuity.
The party of Lincoln has seen better days. But even Lincoln suspended habeas corpus for U.S. citizens, just like the would-be Caesar, George W. Bush.
democrats are going to win the house so this doesn't matter. nancy pelosi for 2 years will be brutal and you will be wishing that rove's plan had worked. get out your gavel's ladies and gentlemen; we are about to all learn again about the 5th amendment
Dispicable GOPerverts including the top silver spoon piece of trash terrorist murderer and maimer of millions who will kill millions more with the stem cell denial all the while his family lives in luxury and full health.
Bush the cheerleader of private rich schools born into wealth and privlege and playing the part of the worst prodical child chimp ever wasting millions and being helped by Daddy all the way through for all his pathetic screwups and then gets bought 2 big offices to screw up the nation and planet as its worse murderer torturer ever.
Any who vote for this piece of lying killing trash is as bad as he is and a fake who deserves to be thrown in jail including their main poster boy pervert Limbaugh drug addict.
These calls should be illegal. People were called at 2:30 a.m.
It is obscene...
These calls should be illegal. People were called at 2:30 a.m.
It is obscene...
democrats have been doing this for years, i think their are sore losers appeasers
I can tell you I've gotten numerous calls over the years from the Democratic party. What a bunch of hypocricial whiners - it's always somebody else's fault with these Democrats. No sense of personal responsibility - for themselves or anyone else. Let's all tick off the press and vote Republican this year - it's a vote for personal responsibility. And no whining.
I'm a life long Democrat and have also received these calls (from both parties). I got one very respectable call from the Republicans around 8 pm and one from the local Democrats at 2:30 am! I was stunned and called to complain this morning. I'm really disgusted that my own party couldn't get their act together on these calls and wanted to let folks know that Democrats need to do a better job of this kind of stuff as well. As a Democrat, I must say even I am sickened by the thought of Nancy Pelosi being the face of our party in Congress. Harry Reid is bad enough, but multi-millionaire winery owner Nancy Pelosi?? It's more embarrassing than these calls by a long shot.
Dead end for Democracy? The original framers of the US Constitution granted advantages to the upper-class that concentrated wealth in the hands of a few which helped to fund the industrial revolution. Alexander Hamilton and Robert Morris succeeded in their plans, creating federal laws, giving the "upper-class" tax advantages at the expense of the common man. (Reference: "The Whiskey Rebellion" by William Hogeland, American History 101)
This original tax revenue, designed to pay off the nation's war debt, was further used to fund corporate projects on a national scale. Back then, Americians appeared as "The Terrorists" in the eyes of England's king.
This should be illegal - it doesn't matter who does it, its wrong. It doesn't make it less wrong if the other party did it first, or more often, or better - its always wrong. To suggest otherwise is ridiculous. We are all losing.
I wish some commenters would actually read the post first. No one is complaining that Republicans are calling people, which, as someone astutely noted, Dems have done, too, for some time. Polticians are craftier than that, at least.
The complaint is that they are framing these poorly timed calls to sound initially as if they come from democrats or democrat-supporters, before they actually get into the full message, relying on the bitter taste that will be left in listeners mouths after they hang up in the first 10 seconds thinking it was a call from the dems.
Truly a new low in campaigning, but sadly one that can't be faulted for it's likely efficacy.
And to the poster who claimed that the ancient greeks were the last to value service over reward, look to the American "Cincinnatus" himself, George Washington.
Brilliant - whatever it takes to win! Had the Dems thought of it in time they'd be doing it too.
The dead vote Democrat in Chicago & St. Louis. Politics is usually unpleasant - that's part of why we have such a problem getting good candidates. This is the worst possible way to run a government - except for all the other alternatives.
This sounds similar to a tactic that Rove was accused of using in a local Texas race a number of years ago. I believe it was reported in Time or Newsweek a year or two ago. Rove and gang made up flyers that disparaged their own candidate to make it seem like the Democratic opponent's supporters and campaign was responsible for the dirty tactics.
If Honor did not completely leave the Presidency under Clinton, it certainly has now. I'm saddened by the win-at-all-costs mentality that pervades our politics, business, and sports. Here's to the return of Honor to our lives.
The Republicans use dirty tricks like these bacause they know they cannot win a fair fight that is focusing on issues and principles.
This is not the first time Republicans have broken the law to gain power and I'm sure it will not be the last.
These people know no shame and have no integrity.
I gues it's just their nature to be morally bankrupt criminals and/or perverts.
The Neo GOP:
Guardians
Of
Panderers.
Grotsque
Old
Perverts.
Note to the metally impaired. The calls supposedly coming from Democrats in the middle of the night and that call back repeatedly...THOSE are the ones being funded by depserate Republicans so if you want to get mad at somebody it's your heroes being jerks.
You people really define stupidity and happily as the evening unfolds you will be getting exactly what you so richly deserve-the door and here's hoping indicments are soon to follow.
Well, leave it to the dummo's to wine about another election before it's even over. The calls are from dummo left coasters that forget there is a time difference... oh well, let's see how much crying and shouting is going to result from this election. Politicos on the left are pure poison... there's no debate... just hate.
Well, it's better than Jesse Jackson's revolting calls claiming that 80% of every dollar spent at Walmart goes to Bush.
What would George Washington say?
"What the fuck is a phone call?"
Two points for Uncle Mikey. That comment is so funny I wish I'd voted for at least one Republican.
We may as well be living under fascism. Hell, I guess we already are!!
Man are you in for a surprise.
And now, in the style of Jim Lamb:
Dirty whore pig monkey assmaster wicker pony humbug snoopy ate a hog jowl donkey pie with ugly fart-based chicken scratch lying disreputable poopyheads in a grumpy overbearing puketastic fungo bat parade of whoremongering underwear jerkoff filthy whiskey tango foxtrot a ding dong diddlyo
Call the Green Fuse and give them this guy's contact PRONTO!
It was funny, Rogers, but you don't have to go that far. Now look what the "uncle" has done.
They deserve to lose for this bull shit.
I am a Republican and this was just stupid to do...
I got similar calls in CA, in races that were nearly certain to be won by Dems.
I hear lawyers getting involved with this one.
Voter intimidation may have taken place..
I hear lawyers getting involved with this one.
Voter intimidation may have taken place..
I hear lawyers getting involved with this one.
Voter intimidation may have taken place..
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