newsobserver.com projects - vote suppression - Comments

Re: More illegal robocalls in Durham?

maxlynda — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:10:58 -0400

LET'S NOT BE RASH

Is it worth noting that the founder and chairman of Womens Voices, Women's Vote has contributed generously to Hillary Clinton's campaign? Or that the organization includes among its officials other Clinton supporters including John Podesta, one-time chief of staff to President Clinton?

This is not meant to suggest that WVWV is connected to any instance of vote suppression or of making illegal robocalls other than the quarter million or so for which its officials have accepted blame. And we should remember, too, that the organization has expressed deep sorrow and embarrassment about the calls after it was caught.

In any case, whatever damage could be done has been done and there is probably no reason at all to suggest that anyone at WVWV should be subjected to imprisonment or substantial fines for an attempt to subvert the democratic process. All I'm saying is maybe we should just forgive and forget, or even better ask ourselves, uh ... well, let's put it this way: What would Jesse Helms do?

Just saying.

Now you guys go vote and let wiser heads worry about these and other picky details.

Timing

rubyji — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:06:47 -0400

The timing of this is even crazier. In what race would you be voting by mail right now? The ballots for general elections obviously can't exist until after the primary, and of course the deadline to request an absentee ballot for the primary is past.

Re: More illegal robocalls in Durham?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:36:07 -0400

Note: Originally posted at 11:14 a.m., re-posted with audio.

— RTB

Re: More illegal robocalls in Durham?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:20:19 -0400

Mrs. LaFollette, my high-school English teacher, would agree with you, so I've pluralized the noun.

— RTB

Re: More illegal robocalls in Durham?

greenlamp — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:08:05 -0400

forshizzle:

Using they/them as a singular pronoun is (a) a very old practice, and (b) completely valid linguistically. Not only that, but as one linguist has recently pointed out, there are some cases where 'proper' English usage REQUIRES combining singular-looking and plural-looking terms.

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=89

As he says, don't use it if you don't want to, but that doesn't make it wrong when other people do.

Re: More illegal robocalls in Durham?

forshizzle — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:53:39 -0400

It is against state law for a robocaller to not identify themselves.

a robocaller = singular

themselves = plural

Re: More illegal robocalls in Durham?

liam — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:52:27 -0400

Now, this is getting ridiculous. I was willing to chalk up the previous robo-disaster to incompetence on the part of women's voices women's vote. But now, a day before election, this is really bordering on voter suppression.

Re: Obama: Robocalls 'extremely disturbing'

Eli333 — Sat, 03 May 2008 23:04:01 -0400

I would call Obama's choice of friends extremely disturbing. If you aren't familiar with Barack Obama's circle of friends, click and view. I think that you will understand why the teflon is wearing thin on Obama.

http://www.jeffhead.com/obamacircle.htm

Re: Women's Voices has strong ties to Clinton

FFC1304 — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:34:11 -0400

www.MichaelSavage.com

log on and click to 'Rev. Wright's CUBAN FRIENDS'...

Re: Women's Voices has strong ties to Clinton

Christines — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:42:10 -0400

A friend sent this. What are the ties to Obama?

The University Of California, At Berkeley June 14th, 2008 & at
Stanford University on June 15th, 2008 – (VENUES PROPOSED FACULTY CLUBS AT EACH CAMPUS)

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INDUCTION CEREMONIES ARE TO BE HELD LATER IN DECEMBER 26, 2008-(CHEIKH ANTA DIOP'S BIRTH DAY), THE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF INDUCTEES WILL BE HELD IN PRESS CONFERENCES AND AN AWARDS CEREMONY FOR MS. OPRAH WINFREY AND MS. GALE KING AT THE JUNE 14th & JUNE 15th EVENTS AT STANFORD AND BERKELEY.
PRIME MINISTER DESINAGTE: HON. RAILA ODINGA
PRESENTSAWARDS TO: MICHELE & BARACK OBAMA AND OPRAH WHINFREY. THE HON. RAILA ODINGA TO ALSO RECIEVE THE AFRICAN LIBERATION WARDS OF THE CHEIKH ANTA DIOP INSTITUTE.
Very interesting. 6/15/2008 event!!! Why is that date so familiar!!

Do you remember the Trinity Church Vision Statement?

The Pastor as well as the membership of Trinity United Church of Christ is committed to a 10-point Vision:

A congregation committed to ADORATION.
A congregation preaching SALVATION.
A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.*
A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.
Click here to read about Dr. Wright’s talking points for Trinity United Church of Christ its Web site and the Black Value System.

Notice # 4. of the vision statement.
Odinga is Obama's cousin in Kenya!

Re: this was voter suppression and was NO accident

rubyji — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:13:09 -0400

I agree. There's no way such an experienced group of political operatives could be this clumsy TWELVE times. They were supposedly targeting unregistered, single, female voters with the "Lamont Williams" voice calling many male, married, and registered voters. Women's Voices Women Vote is led by individuals with decades of political experience, and now they say they didn't think about when the primary was? How can any self-respecting journalist swallow this?

If it’s not an intentional attempt at voter disenfranchisement, then I have to conclude that the folks running Women's Voices Women Vote (and/or MHSC, outreach consultants to Clinton & WVWV (hmmm)) are simply massively incompetent. This isn’t very likely looking at their resumes, but I’d be convinced that it was true if key staff get fired over this incredible screw-up. Does anyone think that will happen?

I hope Cooper throws the book at them and that the media will take a break from coverage of Rev. Wright, gas prices, and flag pins to inform voters of this pressing issue that may well affect the outcome of our state and national elections.

this has clinton's fingerprints all over it (LINK)

poetx99@yahoo.com — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:09:54 -0400

please read the exclusive investigative piece from the institute for southern studies:

http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2008/04/facing-south-exclusive-dc-nonprofit.asp

this needs to be headline news in NC.

this group is trying to spin as if they have merely made some mistakes, but what exists is a pattern, across 11 states, of making extremely deceptive calls which serve to disenfranchise the recipients of the disinformation.

while this women's voting group (which has 501 c3 status and a hefty budget and significant ties to -- who else? -- hillary clinton) ostensibly seeks to register women, the complaints from several states reveal, instead, a pattern of targeting the calls toward african americans. hmm.

benign and extreme incompetence seem to compose their veneer of plausible deniability, but how are we to believe that this pattern, which has been repeated since february (the Virginia calls) is purely accidental? why would a voter outreach program for females enlist an african american sounding male voice identified as 'Lamont Williams' to make the calls? and why do their caller IDs show up blank, in direct violation of NC laws?

if this is what it appears to be, it is absolutely despicable and the perpetrators should be prosecuted.

Re: Obama: Robocalls 'extremely disturbing'

rabid1 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:32:19 -0400

Obviously all of Obama's college-educated supporters were confused.

this was voter suppression and was NO accident (link)

poetx99@yahoo.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:38:04 -0400

http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2008/04/facing-south-exclusive-dc-nonprofit.asp

per the above, this was not an 'honest mistake', or a bumbling effort by some shoestring non-profit. this organization has engaged in a pattern of such behavior in over 11 states, with the same modus operandi of misleading voters occurring as far back as February, in Virginia, also days before their primary.

the voters of NC need for this story to be featured prominently, and for the correct information regarding voter registration to be disseminated.

Re: Cooper: Robocalls were illegal

kanobi11 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:29:35 -0400

Very interesting comments from John Edward about Change in Washington DC
http://ca.