Dean Rivals Accused of Harassment by Phone (NYT)

[dajabr]

By RACHEL L. SWARNS

Published: January 7, 2004


ES MOINES, Jan. 6 — A senior adviser to Howard Dean accused two rival campaigns on Tuesday of harassing Dr. Dean's supporters here with a relentless flurry of telephone calls intended to disrupt his organizing strategy for the upcoming Iowa caucuses.

The adviser, Joe Trippi, Dr. Dean's campaign manager, said that dozens of Dr. Dean's fervent supporters had each received as many as 20 computerized phone calls over the past weekend from the campaigns of Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts and Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri.

All the campaigns are pushing hard to identify and mobilize supporters. Mr. Trippi accused the two rival campaigns of trying to frustrate Dr. Dean's supporters so they would not answer the phone, making it difficult for Dr. Dean to recruit precinct captains on caucus night.

Advisers to Mr. Kerry and Mr. Gephardt instantly and vehemently denied the charge.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/07/politics/campaigns/07IOWA.html?ex=1074142800&en=b8c24f3b050c599b&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[Brian_Expat]

1. GET OVER IT, Dean!

It's only bad if YOU do it or even something 1/100th as sleazy. If other people do it to you, you're just being a wimp!

[xray s]

2. Next they will be leaving flaming bags of dog poop on their porch

We are definately into the "silly season"

:)

[maddezmom]

17. LOL

:)

[killbotfactory]

3. Isn't that illegal?

Or is it fair game since it's about politics?

[slinkerwink]

7. probably fair game under politics and illegal under phone harassment

[Padraig18]

4. BAD Howard! BADDDDDD Howard!

Take your lumps and like it, Howard, just like they tell you to! Now, eat the rest of your liver-and-broccoli casserole----people are starving in Upper Slobovia, you know? :P

The silly season is upon us, it seems...

[revcarol]

5. Boy, that Trippi is something else.

n/t

[LuminousX]

6. As with the other stuff, I want the proof

They should have phone records, caller id, etc. to identify where the calls are coming from. If you are going to make an allegation, that allegation needs to be backed up with something more than hearsay.

If the evidence is not present, then calling out other campaigns by name is bad form.

[Hep]

9. I'm with you.

The calls should have been logged.

[redqueen]

13. Kudos to you and LuminousX

For balance and fairness. :D

:toast:

[Padraig18]

10. I wish another campaign who shall remain nameless...

... felt the same way about documentation as do you, vis a vis 'campaign rally "flyer" smears'... :eyes:

[blm]

8. Sorry, but that is lame. Forcing people to NOT answer their phones?

Blaming computer generated phone calls?

All DNC folks are on that list and so are others if they signed up for Democratic mailings. All the campaigns use those numbers.

Trippi used those call lists to pushpoll in Iowa against Gep, Kerry and Edwards last summer, and now he's complaining they are being used for other candidates canvassing for votes?

How hollow.

First phone attack

Straight-talking Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean is testing his attack message in Iowa. Political operatives say Dean's phone polling is probing for weaknesses in support for Sens. John Edwards and John Kerry and Rep. Dick Gephardt. For rookie pol Edwards, it's about experience. For Gephardt, it's his alliance with Bush on key issues. Questions about Kerry test Iowans' reaction to his vote backing the war in Iraq."

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/archive/030512/12whisplead.php

[LuminousX]

11. There was no push-polling in Iowa.

[chimpymustgo]

12. Sounds like more Trippi dirty tricks.

Read on:

*******

Mr. Trippi, who suggested that the calls were a "dirty trick," said his Iowa staff could provide reporters with a list of 10 of Dr. Dean's supporters who had received the harassing calls. But when asked for the names, his staff did not produce them on Tuesday evening.

-snip-

David Wade, a spokesman for Mr. Kerry, also denied Mr. Trippi's accusation. "Joe Trippi is a master of misdirection, but this tall tale is little more than a transparent effort to distract from the negative attacks he's aiming at Iowa voters and from the damage Howard Dean has done to himself with his own statements," Mr. Wade said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/07/politics/campaigns/07IOWA.html?ex=1074142800&en=b8c24f3b050c599b&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[TLM]

15. The damage Dean has done to himself???

So now movign into the lead is damage?


I bet Mr. kerry wishes he could be more damaged.

[xultar]

14. Fines are as follows

Kerry Supporters $5.00 to Dean Campaign
Gephardt Supporters $5.00 to Kerry Campaign
Dean Supporters $5.00 to Gephardt Campaign


Yup, I think that about does it.

[Padraig18]

16. LOL!

I like your fines! :P

[michaelbmoore]

18. Well. . .

:nopity:

[damnraddem]

19. I'd check first to see whether ...

Karl Rove was behind this, rather than Kerry and Gephardt. But if it IS a matter of Dem rivals, I wouldn't be surprised if it were those two campaigns.

[Atlant]

20. I wouldn't call it harassment, but we got two John Edwards calls last nt

I wouldn't call it harassment, but we got two John Edwards calls last
night after making it clear to them a while ago that we wanted NO
further calls or letters from their campaign.

One was generated locally and one was generated from their national
calling center.

Atlant