Robocalls Robocalls started to
garner attention in
mid-October 2008 with a McCain-Palin/RNC call which charged that
"Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill
Ayers." The Republican calls attacked Obama on a variety of
points, and most were unidentifed voices. They do not appear to
have been very effective. For example, John DiStaso in his
"Granite Status" column in the Union
Leader quotes
an Oct. 28 e-mail from McCain NH co-chair Peter Spaulding: "What idiot
in Washington thought it would be a great idea in the last week of the
campaign to flood New Hampshire with robo calls concerning Tony
Rezko?" The Obama campaign responded with calls which were more
personal, more positive, and probably more
effective. Residents of the various states identified themselves
by name, and said they were former McCain supporters who were turned
off by his campaign's tactics and were now backing Obama.
The National Political Do Not Call Registry (Shaun Dakin, CEO)
assembled a very useful database
of calls from both sides; here are some examples we found.
McCain-Palin
2008 Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia... closing
weekend, Nov. 2008
Female Voice: I'm calling on
behalf of John McCain and the RNC to tell you that coal jobs, which are
so important to our community, are in jeopardy. Listen to Barack
Obama's plans to bankrupt the coal industry.
Obama clip: "...So if somebody wants to build a
coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them
because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse
gas that's being emitted..."
This call was paid for
by the Republican
National Committee and authorized by McCain-Palin 2008 at 866-558-5591.
Key States late Oct. 2008
Male
Voice: Hello, I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because
you need to know that Barack Obama and convicted felon Tony Rezko have
been friends for almost 20 years.
Rezko donated and raised thousands of
dollars in political contributions for Obama, and Rezko helped Obama
buy his $1.6 million mansion in a swanky Chicago
neighborhood. Obama needs to come clean on this deal before the
election so that the voters can judge whether Obama received monetary
benefits from these Rezko favors.
And since the Democrats took control of
Congress only a few years ago, they have driven our economy into the
worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. And what's
their solution to the problem? To spread more of our wealth
around by raising our taxes and giving it to those who don't pay a
single penny of federal income tax. With friends and priorities
like these, Barack Obama and his Democrat allies lack the judgment to
lead our country.
This call was paid for by the Republican
National Committee and McCain-Palin 2008 at 866-558-5591.
Key States reported by CNN on
Oct. 23, 2008
Hi. This is Rudy Giuliani, and I'm
calling for John McCain and the Republican National Committee because
you need to know that Barack Obama opposes mandatory prison sentences
for sex offenders, drug dealers and murderers. It's true. I
read Obama's words myself. And recently congressional liberals
introduced a bill to eliminate mandatory prison sentences for violent
criminals, trying to give liberal judges the power to decide whether
criminals are sent to jail or set free. With priorities like
these we just can't trust the inexperience and judgment of Barack Obama
and his liberal allies. This call was paid for by the Republican
National Committee and McCain-Palin 2008 at 866-558-5591.
North
Carolinareported
by Huffington Post on Oct. 22, 2008
Male Voice: Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the
RNC because Barack Obama says small town folks like us cling to our
guns because we're bitter. And elitist Democrats who want to
control Washington and try to completely ban hand guns and most hunting
rifles. The NRA said that Barack Obama would be the most anti-gun
president in American history. These elitist Democrats just don't
understand us, and we can't trust them with our 2nd Amendment
rights. This call was paid for by the Republican National
Committee and McCain-Palin 2008 at 866-558-5591.
Key States very widely
reported
Male
Voice: Hello. I'm
calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that
Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers,
whose organization bombed the U.S. capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's
home and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme
leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama
and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country.
This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National
Committee at 202-863-8500.
Virginia reported by
Talking Points Memo (Greg Sargent) on Oct. 16, 2008
Male
Voice: Hello. I'm
calling on behalf of John McCain and the RNC because Barack
Obama and his fellow Democrats aren't who you think they are.
They say
they want to keep us safe, but Barack Obama said the threat we face now
from terrorism is nowhere near as dire as it was in the end of the Cold
War. And Congressional Democrats now want to give civil rights to
terrorists. John McCain and his party allies understand the
threats we
face. When you vote, vote for the team you can trust to keep
America
safe. This call was paid for
by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee at
202-863-8500.
North Carolina reported by
Talking Points Memo on Oct. 15, 2008 [partial]
Female Voice: ...because
with higher gas prices, grocery costs, and a struggling economy, we
cannot afford Barack Obama and the Democrats' one-trillion dollars in
new taxes and spending. With the Wall Street bailout we're simply
in way over our heads. We cannot afford another one trillion
dollars in big-government bureaucracy, higher taxes, and more wasteful
spending that our children will have to pay for. This call was
paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee...
North
Carolina reported by Talking
Points Memo on Oct. 15, 2008 [partial] Male
Voice...because Barack Obama
and his fellow Democrats got caught putting Hollywood above
America. On the very day our elected leaders gathered in
Washington to deal with the financial crisis, Barack Obama spent just
20 minutes with economic advisers, but hours at a celebrity Hollywood
fundraiser. Where are the Democrats' priorities? This call was paid for by McCain-Palin
2008 and the Republican National Committee at 202-863-8500.
Obama
for America Missouri reported by Politico (Avi Zenilman) on Oct. 23,
2008
Hi. This is Lynn Weber calling
for Campaign for Change. I live in Marthasville,
Missouri, and like you I've been getting negative and misleading phone
calls and mail from John McCain and his supporters viciously and
falsely attacking Barack Obama.
As a Republican, I have supported
John McCain in the past because he honorably served our country.
But this year, he's running a dishonorable campaign. I personally
believe McCain will continue many of George Bush's policies. And
now he's using Bush's divisive tactics. In fact he hired Bush
strategists whose attacks even McCain once called hateful.
I sincerely believe Barack Obama will
turn the page on these negative politics and stand up for the middle
class. That's the change we need, and it's why I'm a Republican
voting for Barack Obama. I hope you'll join me.
Paid for by Campaign for Change, a
project of the Missouri Democratic State Committee, 1-877-MO-CHANGE,
and authorized by Obama for America.
North Carolinareported
by Laura Leslie/Isaac Hunter's Tavern on Oct. 22, 2008 via Talking
Points Memo
Hi, this is Lenny Julius, and I'm
calling for Barack Obama. I live in Emerald Isle, North Carolina,
and like you, I've been concerned about mail and phone calls from John
McCain that viciously attack Barack Obama's character and question his
patriotism.
I used to support John McCain. In
fact, I served with him in the Navy. But this year he's running a
dishonorable campaign. This election should be about policies and
ideas, not about vicious personal attacks.
Barack Obama will turn the page on
negative politics, and he'll stand up for the middle class.
That's why this year, even though I used to back John McCain, I'm
voting for Barack Obama, and I'm calling to ask you to do the
same.
Paid for by Campaign for Change, a
project of the North Carolina Democratic Party, 919 783-5996, and
authorized by Obama for America.
Wisconsin reported by
Talking Points Memo on Oct. 21, 2008
Hi, this is Jeri Watermolen, calling
for the Campaign for Change. I live in Green Bay and, like you,
I've been getting sleazy phone calls and mail from John McCain and his
supporters viciously, and falsely, attacking Barack Obama.
I used to support John McCain because he honorably served our country,
but this year he's running a dishonorable campaign. We know
McCain will continue many of Bush's policies, and now he's using George
Bush's divisive tactics. In fact, he hired the Bush strategists
whose attacks even McCain once called hateful.
Barack Obama will turn the page on
these negative politics and stand up for the middle class. That's
the change we need, and it is why I have changed my mind about John
McCain.
Join me in voting for Barack
Obama.
Female voice: Paid for
the Campaign for Change, a project of the Democratic Party of
Wisconsin, 608-255-5172, and authorized by Obama for America.