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N.H. to probe negative calls targeting Romney campaign
The Boston Globe ^ | November 17, 2007 | Michael Levenson

Posted on 11/18/2007 3:14:51 PM PST by Baladas

Mysterious phone calls to New Hampshire and Iowa voters that harshly questioned Mitt Romney's Mormon faith and praised John McCain's military service prompted new attacks in the Republican presidential race yesterday and an investigation by New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte.

McCain and another candidate, Rudy Giuliani, denied any involvement in the calls and condemned them as gutter politics. They are known as "push polls," calls that sound like surveys but are designed to spread negative information about a candidate.

New Hampshire law requires all political advertising, including phone calls, to identify the candidate being supported. McCain and Romney asked Ayotte to investigate, and she agreed. James Kennedy, a New Hampshire assistant attorney general, said the office would begin by interviewing the recipients of the calls. The inquiry could take weeks, he said.

In a press conference in Nevada and in an appearance on CNBC, Romney was indignant.

"The attempts to attack me on the basis of my faith are un-American," he said. "This is a time when we're preparing for Thanksgiving, a time when we're going to celebrate the fact that this nation was founded in part to allow people to enjoy religious freedom."

It was not clear yesterday who was behind the calls.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gopnomination; mittromney; nhprimaries
The Mormon card. Well, it looks like it was either by McCain's bunch or by someone against both of them.
1 posted on 11/18/2007 3:14:52 PM PST by Baladas
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To: Baladas

I’m all for compliance with the rules, but as far as Romney’s concerned, the guy’s a RINO. I could give a rat’s hairy hind end about Romney’s religion.


2 posted on 11/18/2007 3:16:54 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: mewzilla

Is this one of those fake-hate-crimes?


3 posted on 11/18/2007 3:21:11 PM PST by donna (ADHD - Absent Dad/Husband Disorder)
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To: mewzilla

“I’m all for compliance with the rules, but as far as Romney’s concerned, the guy’s a RINO”

Yep, the Mormon part is irrelevant. The fact that he is a RINO is!


4 posted on 11/18/2007 3:22:21 PM PST by stephenjohnbanker (Pray for, and support our troops(heroes) !! And vote out the RINO's!!)
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To: donna

“Is this one of those fake-hate-crimes?”

Yes


5 posted on 11/18/2007 3:28:52 PM PST by Beagle8U (FreeRepublic -- One stop shopping ....... Its the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: Baladas

We can’t prove that Romney is behind this, but it seems very, very odd that they picked several Romney operatives to phone. Of course, they immediately reported it. What are the chances of that happening by accident?

And what are the chances that we will see a real investigation that actually tries to get to the bottom of this? I’d say it’s nothing but PR and CYA. And Romney is the one with the most to gain by keeping this alive.


6 posted on 11/18/2007 3:34:51 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Cicero

I thought the same, but why would Mitt’s people try to setup Juan McCain,who’s far behind there? Because he won the state in 2000?


7 posted on 11/18/2007 3:47:07 PM PST by Baladas
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To: Baladas

And might the someone against both of them—who is already running against the “evil Republicans” be Hillary?


8 posted on 11/18/2007 4:21:03 PM PST by MIchaelTArchangel
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To: Baladas
Mitt is a fraud.

Anyone who supports this guy is on the same side as the left.

9 posted on 11/18/2007 7:40:54 PM PST by Afronaut (Press 2 for English - Thanks Mr. President !)
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To: Cicero
We can’t prove that Romney is behind this, but it seems very, very odd that they picked several Romney operatives to phone.

But you're sure trying to push the idea that the Romney campaign created this. No proof. No evidence. Just accusations and insinuations. Politics at it's worst.

10 posted on 11/18/2007 7:54:11 PM PST by Reaganesque (Charter Member of the Romney FR Resistance)
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To: Reaganesque

You think? It fits the pattern.

Romney has been playing the victim card ever since he started running, complaining about attacks on him as a Mormon.

No point in repeating what I’ve said elsewhere, but so far it seems the likeliest explanation for what evidence we have thus far. Bobby Kennedy used the same push-poll trick to defuse possible anti-Catholic resentment when he started his run.


11 posted on 11/18/2007 8:51:36 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Cicero

I had forgotten about that! Of course, being a democrat, Bobby was not chastised by the compliant media the way he should have been when it was discovered ... Mitt is taking a page out of the sinkEmperor’s play book, except the issue is Momronism not sex. Divert attention and read the responses of the nation ... Mitt is sleazy enough to try it, but we will have to wait and see what the evidence brings out.


12 posted on 11/18/2007 8:59:21 PM PST by MHGinTN (Believing they cannot be deceived, they cannot be convinced when they are deceived.)
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To: Afronaut

“Mitt is a fraud.”

Got proof?? Make any mass phone calls lately?


13 posted on 11/18/2007 9:09:33 PM PST by SHEENA26
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To: Cicero

And as we all know, since Bobby Kennedy did it, Romney must have done it too. Obviously.


14 posted on 11/19/2007 6:33:50 AM PST by Reaganesque (Charter Member of the Romney FR Resistance)
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