New strategy for "DumpDAVIS" FReeps: multiple "eGray in a garbage can" MOBILE STRIKE FORCE teams

From http://www.upsidetoday.com/News/3d7e4a951.html:

EBay Doesn’t Like This Bid
Tuesday, September 10, 2002 03:40 PM ET
by Dakota Smith

The popular auction site considers legal action against a political parody site started by a California gubernatorial candidate.

Even though EBay says it is considering taking legal action against E-Gray, a parody Web site launched last week by Republican California gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, it’s unlikely that the popular auction site has a serious trademark-violation argument.
"You have a certain amount of parody protection under the First Amendment," said Mike Godwin, a policy fellow at the Center for Democracy and Technology.
To make a trademark case, there has to be some evidence of confusion on the part of the consumer. In this case, Godwin doubts that anyone going to the E-Gray site would be confused enough to believe that it is affiliated with EBay.
But E-Gray’s site, which attacks Simon opponent Gov. Gray Davis, is similar enough in style and color scheme to the popular auction site that EBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove said his company "has a legal obligation to enforce EBay’s distinctive trademark."
"We are always concerned about anyone playing off our trademark," he said.
Indeed, EBay’s lawyers do have to protect the company’s trademark, through either a threatening letter or a lawsuit, according to Godwin. "What happens is that lawyers often overreach," he said. "They are thinking, ‘If we rattle the saber for E-Gray, maybe they will simply go away.’"
But corporations haven’t had much success suing over trademarks used in political parodies. During the 2000 presidential race, MasterCard lost a $5 million lawsuit against Ralph Nader after a court ruled Nader’s commercials, which parodied MasterCard’s well-known "Priceless" advertising campaign, could continue to be shown on both TV and the Internet.
In addition to a legal victory, the MasterCard lawsuit brought Nader a barrage of free press—which is exactly what candidate Simon and his parody site may be hoping for.

From www.siliconvalley.com:

Posted on Sun, Sep. 08, 2002
Simon must better define his ideas
By Peter Delevett
Mercury News
California's gubernatorial race is playing like a bad remake of the 2000 presidential campaign.
You've got Gray Davis playing Al Gore: a smart, bland career politician burdened by fundraising scandals and a smug personality.
You've got Bill Simon in the role of George W. Bush: an affable, telegenic and seemingly not-so-bright businessman who's the son of a politician.
There's even talk the Green Party could again emerge as a spoiler, with East Bay investment adviser Peter Miguel Camejo reprising Ralph Nader's turn as the wacky, rumpled guy who profits from voter disgust with both major-party candidates...
more

Better LATE than NEVER, from the San Francisco Chronicle:

'Governor eGray'
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 9/15/2002
Posted on 09/15/2002 7:01 PM Pacific by ElkGroveDan

News flash: Republican Bill Simon creates a Web site (www.e-gray.com) to highlight Gov. Gray Davis' fund-raising excesses. The "California laws for sale" site parodies the look of EBay, the online auction house.
Background: The humor is edgy and clever ("Avoid annoying health warning labels on your products!" or "Delay a competing plumbing product -- A great deal on another government-enforced monopoly!") but each "auction item" is supported by a news story linking the governor's actions to campaign contributions.
Upshot: A rare sign of intelligence in the Simon campaign. It's the most devastatingly effective campaign Web site we've seen this year.
Quote: "Auction currency is U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. Direct deposit into the Gray Davis for Governor Committee accounts is available..."
more

This just in.

With less than twenty-four hours until the debate, NCM finally posted something about it on their website:

Tuesday September 17, 2:00 pm

First Gubernatorial Debate Opens NCM EXPO 2002 Republican Party candidate Bill Simon and Green Party candidate Peter Miguel Camejo will face each other in their first gubernatorial debate. Sponsor - NCM, Co-Sponsor - The Greenlining Institute Location: Whittier Room
Moderator	Emil Guillermo
Panelists	Larry Wong, News Producer, KSCI-TV Los Angeles Dr. William Hanford Lee, Publisher, The Sacramento Observer W. Bruno Kalifa, Editor-in-Chief, Eterna Publishing/An-Nahar Pilar Marrero, Political Editor, La Opinion

I wonder what prompted them to do so? :o)

LOL! So this is the "NEW" media?
The Internet will make THEM irrelevant, just as it has the "old" media...

See Cinnamon Girl's post-FReep thread, now up at:

BEVERLY HILLS FREEP!
Cinnamon Girl
Posted on 09/17/2002 2:52 PM Pacific by Cinnamon Girl

Yeah, baby, yeah! Just got back from a little lunch time style FREEP on Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills, right across from the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Future Governor Bill Simon is scheduled to debate the Green Party Kook today (and of course, Davis is too busy raising ca$h for himself to debate any issues) at the Hilton so a few of us Freepers gathered across the street (thanks BH police officers for stopping traffic so I could cross) with RonDog heading the crew in his Gray Davis is a Whore outfit...
more

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.