Risk V. Reward: The Anti-Romney Phone Calls

The Atlantic ^ | November 16, 2007 | Marc Ambinder

[2ndDivisionVet]

Whodunnit?

Here is why it is unlikely that Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson or any top-tier challenger to Mitt Romney had anything to do with the wave of anti-Mormon, Anti-Romney phone calls in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Think about the reward. Would the questions asked by the firm elicit any meaningful data for the campaign who wrote them? Would the relative reward of a few dozen voters changing their minds about Romney because of his Mormonism be worth the avalanche of embarassment and ill-will that would accrue to the candidate who authorized the phone calls?

Political consultants aren't stupid -- they understand that culprits eventually will out, that the profusion of citizen reporters and company moles virtually guarantees that the identity of the organization that contracted with the phone bank will one day be known.

Even if the goal is to earn media coverage by planting some audacious phone calls and then allowing the media pick up on them -- notice how the media coverage repeats the explicit anti-Mormon claims -- it's probably true that the sympathy that attaches itself to Romney washes out the reptition.

My guess: the responsible party is a free agent sympathetic to but not associated with a real campaign -- or an anti-GOP group testing messages -- or a dull party apparatchick who works for a small, inconsequential interest group funded by wealthy donors.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Probably the democrats trying to stir the sh_t on our side to keep us fighting amongst ourselves. It smells like either Hillary or Howard Dean, IMO. They probably contracted with MoveOn or another Soros-funded group.

[pipecorp]

ahh... the fetid stench of the politics of personal destruction brought on by the clinton war machine.

[org.whodat]

Still think it’s some of the mitwitts themselves.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Time will tell. There are no well-kept secrets anymore (except for the Clintons).

[perfect_rovian_storm]

That’s what I think. This is right out of their playbook. Anyone who criticizes Mitt is an anti-Mormon bigot.

Mitt would make a great running mate for Hillary. Then they could pretend to be victims together.

[daylilly]

Some bloggers also think it is mitwitts.

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/11/16/hmmm-senior-vp-at-polling-firm-blamed-for-anti-mitt-anti-mormon-calls-donated-to-romney/

Romney is friends with some of this family:

http://www.eyeon08.com/2007/11/16/romneys-friends-with-western-wats-family/

I don’t know for sure but this is really bizarre.

I also wondered if it was a Democrat campaign staff doing this.

[Finny]

Mitt would make a great running mate for Hillary. Then they could pretend to be victims together.

Did you see the post by BNG on a "Rovian" thread? His wife calls Romney "Guy Smiley" and when she saw him on TV, asked if Romney got nominated, would he choose Kermit as a running mate? Made me laugh out loud!

(Sounds like a cool wife)

[perfect_rovian_storm]

LOL! No, I didn’t see that.

[Reaganesque]

The main suspects right now are the McCain and Giuliani campaigns but given the posts on this and other threads, it could well be Fred Thompson Freepers. Many of the Romney threads I have posted have degenerated into debates on Mormon doctrine but hey, it must be “Mittwits” and not “Frednecks”, “McCaniacs” or “Rudyites” who are to blame despite the fact that persons from all three campaigns, have been publicly caught either passing on or originating such bigoted attacks in the past. The truth will come out. We will see.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"The main suspects right now are the McCain and Giuliani campaigns but given the posts on this and other threads, it could well be Fred Thompson Freepers. Many of the Romney threads I have posted have degenerated into debates on Mormon doctrine but hey, it must be “Mittwits” and not “Frednecks”, “McCaniacs” or “Rudyites” who are to blame despite the fact that persons from all three campaigns, have been publicly caught either passing on or originating such bigoted attacks in the past. The truth will come out. We will see.

Do you have any names of "Fred Thompson Freepers" that you are accusing of "push-polling" Mitt in two states (IA & NH, pretty high-tech for lil' ol' Freepers...) or do you just like to blindly accuse opponents supporters of mischief?

[Politicalmom]

(Take a look at the moronic accusation against FReeper FRedheads.)

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

WARNING: If you wish to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.

[Theresawithanh]

It could well be Fred Thompson Freepers? Some of you Romneyacs need to get real and get back on your medication. Sheesh!

[trisham]

The accusation in question is one of the most shocking I have yet to see here. I’m disgusted.

[sweet_diane]

"Do you have any names of "Fred Thompson Freepers" that you are accusing of "push-polling" Mitt "

Forget the names. I want to know where all these "Mormon bashing" Fred Thompson threads are! Am I missing out on pings??

[ejonesie22]

WOW!

So this is what it sounds like when somebody loses it.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"Forget the names. I want to know where all these "Mormon bashing" Fred Thompson threads are! Am I missing out on pings??"

Im4Fred and Be4Fred are keeping them at an undisclosed blog for their next big fundraising drive... LOL

[Theresawithanh]

There have been a few that I have seen, outdistanced by the multiple Romneyacs bashing Fred Thompson threads.

I visit many conservative sites and am a member of a few, and the key word from many Romneyacs seems to be that you are a ‘bigot’ if you don’t like Mitt. Mitt’s crew must’ve given them that one in the campaign e-mails.

[sweet_diane]

rofl! And that is your Last Warning! right? lol

[lesser_satan]

Where? The only time I ever attacked Mitt’s religion was in response to a MittWitt who called Fred’s wife a whore.

[trisham]

And now, for a break, here's a nice photo of Jeri and Hayden with some of our wonderful military men.