I spy Jeff Merkley
By Alex Isenstadt, Politicker.com ReporterThe AP is reporting on the Merkley campaign’s complaints about a spy.
“Russ Kelley, the campaign spokesman for U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley, said he recently spotted a young man with a video camera at a Merkley event. Kelley learned his name was Tim Lussier, who said he was a fan of the Democrat and hoped to meet him.
“But the Merkley campaign learned he's a student active in young Republican activities and an employee of the Republican National Senatorial Committee.
“Though Lussier does not work for Republican Senator Gordon Smith, whose job Merkley is seeking, Smith spokesman RC Hammond says he has met Lussier.
“Asked about his tactics, Smith spokesman RC Hammond said the Republican experience with trackers came from watching the Democrats.”
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*sigh* Sounds like the only
*sigh* Sounds like the only thing Tim did wrong was forgetting to take his recommended daily allowance of guile and finesse.
Now, I'm not one to advocate trackers, but as long as we're going to have to live with trackers, we might as well live with well-trained trackers.
So if I was advocating for deceptive practices (which I'm not), here's probably what I'd tell prospective trackers:
1. Get a throwaway cell phone at Radio Shack.
2. Don't use your real name!
3. If you do, for gosh sakes don't call yourself a Democratic activist if you're still in the voterfile as a Republican. (You are a college student who's still registered back in your home state.)
5. Don't tell your bosses if you use less-than-honest practices. They don't want to know how clever you are.
And may I ask who the heck cares that he lied? Was the Merkley campaign going to lock him outside like a Bush event? No. (Tim Lussier, you just lost my vote for Boy Scout Den Leader, though.)
Curious
I am wondering how the Clackamas Community College student government feels about their president being a liar?
Also, a simple search of his name on "the facebook" will show him shaking hands with Mitt Romney of all people. Great fan of Jeff Merkley my [expletive deleted]...
Weak.
Come on... We're not 5 years old. Enough with the mock outrage. "oh NO! Tim lied about wanting to be friends with Jeff?!" What is this - Myspace?
Fact: Every campaign out there (yes, Democrats too!) is signed up on their opponents' e-mail lists under fake names and in some cases phony e-mail addresses.
In fact, I know personally of one individual who did this to a campaign I was working on who is now pretending to be incensed about Tim's actions.
Weak???
In fact, I know personally of one individual who did this to a campaign I was working on who is now pretending to be incensed about Tim's actions.
Wait...you are saying that signing up for the e-mail list, is the same as showing up to events and lying about who you are with a camera in hand? Care to give me a logic lesson surrounding this? Thanks...
Yeah... Weak.
Wait...you are saying that signing up for the e-mail list, is the same as showing up to events and lying about who you are with a camera in hand?
Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.
Look, the D leadership came out and said The rules are very clear: Always be honest. OK, except we're not living in a 1950's sitcom... and you basically just said that one situation is OK and another is not... so either:
1. The rules are clear, in which case the Democrats believe that fake e-mail addresses are a fireable offense... or (like you're insinuating)
2. The rules are maybe not so clear after all, in which case the party leaders need to stop throwing phrases around like "the rules are clear" before they fall into a logic paradox of lying about rules about lying.
So you tell me... are the rules "clear" or are the rules not clear?
Look, I vote Democrat because they have better ideas... not because I'm deluded into thinking that they're some kind of immaculate beacon of honesty.
There's another way which is
There's another way which is going unmentioned.
Soldier up and go where the fight is...as yourself.
Right now, in the Dem senate primary race, I get emails from Novick and Merkley. On the lefty blogs, I'm clearly a Merkley supporter who has converted from being an early Novick supporter.
I also commnet at NW Republican once in a while, again, under my own name.
Ted Piccolo and Steve Novick's team have decided to let me comment in their venues, knowing who I am. Meanwhile, I'm clear that they have every right to act as they see fit regarding my input.
Pretty simple and you don't have to have a Facebook page. Just a moral center.
Yeah, I'm confused why
Yeah, I'm confused why people think the right thing to do is to lie better? Trackers are an established part of campaigning. You can just go right up to campaign staff, introduce yourself as a tracker for an opponent, and set up your camera in the back row, quietly recording everything. Nothing wrong about that.
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