Dirty Tricks 08

[Vequor]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27508967?GT1=43001

In the hours before Election Day, as inevitable as winter, comes an onslaught of dirty tricks — confusing e-mails, disturbing phone calls and insinuating fliers left on doorsteps during the night.
The intent, almost always, is to keep folks from voting or to confuse them, usually through intimidation or misinformation. But in this presidential race, in which a black man leads most polls, some of the deceit has a decidedly racist bent.
Complaints have surfaced in predominantly African-American neighborhoods of Philadelphia where fliers have circulated, warning voters they could be arrested at the polls if they had unpaid parking tickets or if they had criminal convictions.
Over the weekend in Virginia, bogus fliers with an authentic-looking commonwealth seal said fears of high voter turnout had prompted election officials to hold two elections — one on Tuesday for Republicans and another on Wednesday for Democrats.
In New Mexico, two Hispanic women filed a lawsuit last week claiming they were harassed by a private investigator working for a Republican lawyer who came to their homes and threatened to call immigration authorities, even though they are U.S. citizens.
"He was questioning her status, saying that he needed to see her papers and documents to show that she was a U.S. citizen and was a legitimate voter," said Guadalupe Bojorquez, speaking on behalf of her mother, Dora Escobedo, a 67-year-old Albuquerque resident who speaks only Spanish. "He totally, totally scared the heck out of her."
In Pennsylvania, e-mails appeared linking Democrat Barack Obama to the Holocaust. "Jewish Americans cannot afford to make the wrong decision on Tuesday, Nov. 4," said the electronic message, paid for by an entity calling itself the Republican Federal Committee. "Many of our ancestors ignored the warning signs in the 1930s and 1940s and made a tragic mistake."

Very interesting. I am predicting that if Obama loses then the Democrats will say it made a big difference and the Republicans will say it didn't, and vice-versa if McCain loses.

[Keravnos]

Obama won't lose.

[morteduzionism]

In Pennsylvania, e-mails appeared linking Democrat Barack Obama to the Holocaust. "Jewish Americans cannot afford to make the wrong decision on Tuesday, Nov. 4," said the electronic message, paid for by an entity calling itself the Republican Federal Committee. "Many of our ancestors ignored the warning signs in the 1930s and 1940s and made a tragic mistake."

WOW!!!!

So what is Barack supposed to do? Call on Jesse Jackson and the NAACP to start pogroms?

[Каие]

Obama won't lose.

You seem confident.

[Boer]

I think there is a difference between misleading campaign tactics (Obama hates Israel) and actions taken to prevent people from voting (the rest of the article). The first is questionable and some what revolting, the second seems like it should be illegal.

[MathiasOfAthens]

I dont think the mccain campaign will be blaming the dirty tactics for why their candidate lost since they are ones using those tactics. In every case in that article every attack clearly came from the GOP side meant to confuse democrates. The GOP examples at the bottom of the article occured during the primaries and were well documented to have occured from their GOP opposition.

So to answer your question will democrates complain about these tactics if Obama loses. Yes they will and they will be correct in assuming that these tactics were responsible for their side losing. When these same tactics were used in 2000 and that race was decided by some 500 people then you bet these tactics are dangerous and illegal.

[Viking Prince]

Dirty tricks are not unique to only one faction in a political campaign and are certainly present in prior campaigns. To suggest that no one has or will do so to support the Obama campaign is short sighted.

To suggest that the losing candidate will complaign is also short sighted. I can hope that both candidates are better than this. Their supporters cannot be relied upon to do the same simply because of numbers. A few cannot be used to paint the ideals of the many.

[roy34543]

think there is a difference between misleading campaign tactics (Obama hates Israel)

Its only somewhat misleading. He was very contradictory in that respects. Says in one place he will punish Israel if they dont act friendly to the palestinians in one place and then goes on and says he loves Israel and will give it unlimited support somewhere else. Personally i somewhat doubt he likes Israel that much but biden is certainly friendly with israel so who cares.

[Каие]

Says in one place he will punish Israel if they dont act friendly to the palestinians

He did? Feel free to post the link.

in one place and then goes on and says he loves Israel and will give it unlimited support somewhere else.

No American politician has ever been elected on an anti-Israeli platform.

so who cares.

Exactly.

[morteduzionism]

Its only somewhat misleading. He was very contradictory in that respects. Says in one place he will punish Israel if they dont act friendly to the palestinians in one place and then goes on and says he loves Israel and will give it unlimited support somewhere else. Personally i somewhat doubt he likes Israel that much but biden is certainly friendly with israel so who cares.

This is what I hate about the US/Israel relationship. Israel can do no wrong and when they do...NOONE is allowed to call them on it!

ANY and ALL criticism of Israel is labeled as "anti-Semitism."

I remember when Israel was aggresively building new neighborhoods in disputed lands...and the Palestinians started responding.

There was nearly universal agreement that Ariel Sharron's support of the neighborhoods were antagonizing the situation.

I remember, I'll never forget an instance that I supported George Bush, Bush saying that he asked Israel to halt/slow down the developments just long enough for some type of agreement to be worked out...sorry I can't remember the precise details.

Anywho, what did Sharron do?

Nothing.

I remember either he [Sharron] or some other high level official essentially said, 'we're not letting foreign countries dictate Israeli policy...'

So essentially Sharron/Israel said 'fu...bump you W!'

Of course they kept building the settlements.

(bleep)ing Israel! Biggest welfare queen on the American books, throwing hissy fits if a candidate/politician/ex-POTUS even implies that Israel could've done something wrong. They're persecuted.

Then what happens the first time the US asks them to do a small favor: stop exacerbating an issue that involves life/death...they tell the US to sod off!