Republicans flood Minnesota with anti-Obama phone calls

piporiko Sam 18 Oct 2008 - 17:17

Republicans flood Minnesota with anti-Obama phone calls
They complied with state law on "robo-calls" because a live person made them, McCain camp officials said.

By MARK BRUNSWICK, Star Tribune

Last update: October 16, 2008 - 9:59 PM

Tim Streeter came home from work on Thursday and did what he usually does -- check the voice mails on his phone at his Edina home.

A woman's voice on the line told him Democratic nominee Barack Obama associated with "domestic terrorist" William Ayers, who "killed Americans." She warned about Obama's "extreme leftist agenda" and hung up after leaving the Washington number for the Republican National Committee.

"It's very disturbing that the campaign has gotten to the point where the Republicans have sunk this low to suggest Obama consorts with murderers," said Streeter, who identified himself as an Obama supporter.

Like thousands of others on Thursday, Streeter had been robo-called, Minnesota-style.

Ordinarily, a robo-call is one in which a potential voter is called at home by an automatic dialer and is spoken to by a recorded voice.

Phone calls of that kind, 32 seconds long, spread throughout the country following Republican nominee John McCain's comments during a debate Wednesday about Ayers, a former Weather Underground member, and his relationship with Obama.

In Minnesota, however, according to McCain campaign officials, calls like the one Streeter received were made with actual people on the other line.

It is against a 1987 Minnesota law to use robo-calling unless it is preceded by a live operator. Without revealing how many calls were made or how long they will last, McCain campaign officials said they complied with state law, even with actual costs of a live call ranging from 20 to 30 cents apiece, about 10 times the cost of a recorded call.

"We made the calls, and they were all live," said McCain regional political director Ben Golnik.

'It's that time of year'

Under the headline, "Wave Of McCain Robocalls Reported, Some May Violate State Law," the left-leaning online website the Huffington Post said several readers from Minnesota reported receiving the calls and questioned whether they were illegal.

At an Obama campaign office in northeast Minneapolis, a volunteer working the phones said she received about a half-dozen calls complaining about receiving the message, but all said there was a person on the other end of the line.

As for Streeter, he found the call disturbing, but it quickly became part of the clutter of the political season.

"It's that time of year, you expect calls from supporters and pollsters," Streeter said. "I just would like the candidates and their representatives to represent them honestly."

Mark Brunswick • 651-222-1636

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McCain's gutter campaign
McCain you have become an absolute joke and do not deserve any respect. Get out of Minnesota!

posted by thormohlen on Oct 18, 08 at 1:31 pm |
4 of 4 people liked this comment.
John McCains desperation is ugly!
Robocalls are an ugly sign in a campaign of desperation. John this is not leadership – we are already leaderless and don’t needs more of the same. John McCain is right, he is not George W. Bush. That DOES NOT disconnect his voting record of 90% with George W. Bush over the last 8 years however. Too bad John, history is history and you can not change that. You would be a 3rd Bush term is you are elected. You yourself have proven this by being for something in the morning and against it in the afternoon. It is this kind of erratic behavior that says you don’t have any policies of your own, you are running on the policies of George W. Bush. Vote wisely or we will get another 4 years of Bush policies that we can not afford!

posted by Thunderfoot3 on Oct 18, 08 at 2:04 pm |
2 of 2 people liked this comment.
McCarthyism and Fascism all balled in to one
I received a call from somebody who sounded drunk and retarded. Mine was a message, which I played back four times before I felt as if I had an understanding of what was said. John McCain and the RNC are obviously willing to do and say anything to further their cause of dividing this country to their own end. John McCain is no patriot. He never was, and the proof is in the shameful way in which he has conducted this campaign. Shame on John McCain and the RNC. They're the real terrorists in this mess.

posted by lincolnbest on Oct 18, 08 at 2:29 pm |
1 of 1 people liked this comment.
It's Like The WANT To Lose
Not that I'm complaining. I'm just continuously amazed by the GOP's tactics. Does anyone still think these kinds of calls actually work anymore? Especially when all they're doing is beating the old dead horse, Bill Ayers? I'm much more interested in Todd Palin's successionist activities and why his wife believed in the group enough to give the keynote speech at their convention? Take a close look at McCain these days and I defy anyone to seriously say this man will be in top form for the next four years. Sarah Palin is running for president RIGHT NOW. Forget Barack Obama. Put her 'experience' and 'knowledge' up against any Vice President or President IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION and she falls FAR short. She is not qualified. SHE will be the final nail in McCain's coffin. P
awlenty wouldn't have provided all the gimmicky tabloid exposure as Palin, but he would have brought in the serious votes. All Palin brings in is the Miss Congeniality vote. She's all flash and no substance, and her Mean Girl ("You're either with us or 'haters') antics in past elected offices are a serious concern, with more and more negative facts coming to light about her every day. She's a Dick Cheney Wanna Be.

posted by demsdebreaks on Oct 18, 08 at 2:36 pm |
3 of 3 people liked this comment.
I have a least four calls a day.
I know just wait till they start and then cut them off and say I voting Obama. If the man had any chance this will kill it. Quit calling me!

posted by lussie on Oct 18, 08 at 3:52 pm |