Friday, October 24, 2008
Frustration over automated phone calls from the John McCain campaign prompted Missouri Democrats to launch their own round of robo calls Thursday.
In an ironic twist, one of St. Joseph's most vocal advocates of placing political robo calls on to the state's No Call List defended the reaction.
"This is not a robo call. It's a response call," state Rep. Ed Wildberger, D-St. Joseph, said during a news conference at the Buchanan County Democratic Headquarters. "Unfortunately, we can not sit by and not answer these accusations."
Voters with landline phones in recent nights may have heard a recording of Rudy Giuliani suggesting Mr. Obama is soft on crime or an automated voice pointing to Mr. Obama's prior involvement with William Ayers, a former Weather Underground leader who is now a college professor.
The call says Mr. Obama "has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home and killed Americans," despite the Democrat's
condemnation of Mr. Ayers' actions, according to the Associated Press.
The McCain campaign stood by the calls Thursday.
"Missouri is the Show-Me-State. I think it's time Barack Obama show them all his cards when it comes to his past dealings with Bill Ayers," said Republican National Committee spokesman Chris Taylor.
Democrats have dubbed the calls as "sleazy attacks," but they're using a longtime Republican in their counter-calls.
"We're not fighting fire with fire," said Mr. Wildberger, who for multiple legislative sessions has authored bills to crack down on such calls.
He said Lynn Weber, of Marthasville, Mo., clearly identifies herself and while critical of Mr. McCain, is not attacking him.
"As a Republican, I have supported John McCain in the past because he honorably served our country - but this year he's running a dishonorable campaign," Ms. Weber says in the call.
The calls were scheduled to start in Missouri Thursday night.
"It's laughable ... that they're using a robo call to push back against robo calls," Mr. Taylor said.
Alyson E. Raletz can be reached
at alysonraletz@npgco.com.
A reporter misidentified who a Republican was criticizing in an automated phone call in a story that ran on the front page of Friday's edition. Lynn Weber, of Marthasville, Mo., was critical of John McCain, said Rep. Ed Wildberger, D-St. Joseph.
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suzyQ says...
These calls are getting ridiculous. I even got called (not robo though) but supposed politial survey at 9:40 PM this week. Isn't calling after 9 a big no-no? I didn't give the person a chance to get far enough to know what camp they were from. I do still have the phone number that called though...maybe I can report them? The lady sounded foreign (you know like some of these foreign customer service reps we get these days who are clearly not from out country but say their name is Jack or some American name), but when questioned said she was located in Indiana. I was just a little miffed...
October 24, 2008 at 1:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lucille says...
I think the accusations have to be answered with facts in some way to undo damage to the level of political discussion. Obama clearly is trying to elevate the level of political discussion. Totally unregulated markets did not work but when someone wants to regulate markets (even health care insurers) to rule out unfairness and fraud, they get called socialist. McCain I think, if you think about it, is firing at his own weakness and so is Palin. Senator Obama is sure he wants his home states to remain part of the United States; Palins are not sure. McCain might see socialism when there is none. Really, there isn't socialsim even in China anymore. Regulation is not socialism. Lucille
October 24, 2008 at 1:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
leads says...
lucille:
That has to be one of the dumbest comments I've seen on here.
Do you even have a clue as to what socialism is? Hint: part of it is "spread the wealth".
You're right about China though:they're communists not socialists.
Are you really that dumb, or are you ninja creating another ID to get an argument started?
October 24, 2008 at 7:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nana012444 says...
What a biased article!!!! Of all the political calls I've received during this campaign, all have been from the Obama camp except ONE . . . and I get one or two calls every day. They have all started by slamming McCain. Anyone running for office who has enough money to pay for this type of exposure surely will increase our federal budget deficit in a hurry. Likewise, I receive one or two mailings a day through USPS from the Obama campaign . . . what waste of precious resources!
October 24, 2008 at 8:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
megafrog says...
I started getting robo calls from Kay Barnes over the summer and that is one of the reasons that I don't answer calls without checking the caller ID anymore. I will be glad when November 5 hits and the election is hopefully over. From my take on things, the democrats started this, a fact which the news choose to forget here in St Joe. . .
October 24, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dsbsh says...
leads: Before you call someone's comment dumb, you might do a bit of reading. Socialism is an economic theory in which the State owns or controls the means of production. Our national government just took (partial, temporary I hope) control of banks-- that's socialism. Progressive taxation, however, is NOT socialism and has never been socialism. Not only is progressive taxation something we've had in this country for generations, but it was advocated by Adam Smith (the father of modern capitalism, who I don't think you can realistically call a socialist). That doesn't make it good policy, but jumping up & down yelling "socialism" is just another example of dumbing down the discussion.
October 24, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
leads says...
dsbsh:
I'm not referring to progressive taxation and I don't see anything in Lucille's post about it.
I'm referring to taxing the "wealthy" and giving tax breaks/returns to people who don't even pay taxes. That's redistribution of wealth which is socialistic.
October 24, 2008 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
10377586 says...
I don't care that Obama was and may still be friends with
Bill Ayers and I sure wish the McCain robot would stop calling me to insinuate he "pals around with terrorists".
October 24, 2008 at 2:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
matty73 says...
you know how McCain feels about the working class.that were a bunch of dimwitted bums,whos minds are so feeble that we can be manipulated by sleazy tactics and automated voice recordings.time for a change.
October 24, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suzyQ says...
matty73...Obama is going to give us change alright.."you betcha" he will. Lets just hope it really is the "right kind" of change. Thats the scarey part with Obama. He is too far to the left...way outta there.
McCain may not necessarily bring the changes I really want either, but I feel a bit safer with him.
October 24, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
azmaggie says...
SuzyQ: I agree! Besides did you see the news today? Because of the recession neither of the canidates will be able to impliment their breaks! If obama gets elected won't all those people that are counting their checks be disappointed!
October 24, 2008 at 3 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scrubnurse says...
Safer with McCain? With him you are "One seventy three year old heartbeat" away from Palin being President. Now THAT my friends, is scary!!
October 24, 2008 at 5:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dsbsh says...
leads-- That's what progressive taxation is: taxing those with more income at a higher rate. Of course it's redistributing wealth. But it's only "socialistic" if you adopt such a loose definition of socialism that virtually anything done by government fits. All taxes redistribute wealth; Bush's tax cuts redistributed wealth from the middle and lower classes to the rich. You don't get to call taxes "socialistic" just because you don't like who's benefiting.
Most of "those who don't even pay taxes" pay pretty hefty payroll taxes, which are rarely paid by those with higher incomes. And let's not forget the massive tax loopholes available only to those with higher incomes and large portfolios. As an educator I pay a greater percentage of my income in taxes than people making 5 times what I make.
October 25, 2008 at 12:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dsbsh says...
Actually, leads, you DO get to call progressive taxation socialistic. But I get to disagree :)
October 25, 2008 at 12:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
azmaggie says...
dsbsh: If a person pays payroll taxes THEY ARE PAYING TAXES!
October 25, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dsbsh says...
azmaggie-- I was responding to the old canard about "those who don't even pay taxes," which ignores payroll taxes. I just wrote it poorly. Thanks for clarifying.
October 25, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )