Schweitzer condemns GOP poll as shady, dirty (illegal push-poll)

[Ediacara]

Schweitzer condemns GOP poll as shady, dirty

By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
Gazette State Bureau

HELENA - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brian Schweitzer on Friday denounced as "shady, sneaky, dirty lowdown stuff" a poll by the Republican Governors Association that he said falsely suggests that he is a terrorist and a tax scofflaw.

"If you tell a lie often enough, people are going to believe it," an angry Schweitzer said in a telephone interview. "This is outrageous stuff. They're calling me a terrorist."

Although the poll was conducted by the Republican Governors Association, Schweitzer laid the blame on the campaign of his GOP opponent, Bob Brown.

"If that's what these people will stoop to, it demonstrates they have a failed campaign, they have no good record to run on and no vision for the future," Schweitzer said.

More at the Billings Gazette

[havocmom]

1. ".. no good record to run on and no vision for the future."

Yep, that's the reason the GOP just about everywhere wants to dish dirt and argue who started it instead of talking issues.

Folks, one of our jobs in these campaigns is to talk up that point. Let our candidates talk issues while we take up the fight about dirt and why it is tossed into voters eyes like a bully kicking up a cloud of sand at the beach. Keep those LTTE flooding in to your local papers.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Thanks for the article. I've never known what "push polls" are until now.

After seeing this information I recognize they are a legal form of disinformation about the opposition's candidate. This is as low and dirty as you could get. The only thing worse would be going to voters' homes and telling them lies in person.

This is wrong. They can argue about it, claiming it's not illegal, and tie you up in rage while they gibber on about it's being a form available to Democrats, too, if Democrats opted to use it, etc., etc. but everyone knows it's simply FILTHY. Normal Republican behavior.

[DrBB]

3. This was how they got McCain in NC

Telephone polls asking "Woulld it affect your vote if you knew Senator McCain had an illegitimate negro daughter?" or whatever the exact wording was, implying that his mixed-race adopted daughter was the result of philandering. I don't think it gets any lower than that, but if there is anything worse Karl will find it and do it.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Had wondered how they got that "illegitimate" charge to would-be voters

while people living outside the state never until quite a while had passed. I see their advantage of doing it this way, as anything direct and above ground would be subject instantly to challenge and to libel charges.

To use language as a tool to deceive seems evil, when it has been needed as a means to understand.

[John Q. Citizen]

4. But why do they have no good record to run on and no vision for future?

Clinton!

[rumguy]

5. Repuke hypocrisy is breathtaking

Cheney did tons of bidness with Saddam - he actually profited from that business. Schweitzer worked for a company in the 70s, right out of college, that did business in Libya - than an ally of the US - and they insinuate some kind of shady bullshit. What a fucking joke! God I fucking HATE RETHUGS - they are the SCUM OF THE EARTH!

"Republican poll: One of his businesses or a business for which he worked continued to operate in Libya after the ban on U.S. companies doing business there because of terrorism activities.
Schweitzer reply: 'I get out of graduate school when I'm 24 (in 1979). Within days I'm on a plane to Libya in the Sahara Desert living in a trailer with a generator beside it. It was 120 degrees. I was developing irrigation and center pivots and planting crops. I was the agronomist. Occidental Petroleum was in Libya. Libya was an ally of the United States. I worked for the Food Development Corp. of Washington state, helping do it with money from the World Bank Corp., financed by the U.S. government. I was only there four months. I was making $2,000 a month and now I'm a terrorist? I was ordering John Deere tractors and Caterpillars. I recommended U.S. equipment and we used it.'"

[Demit]

7. The Billings Gazette did a nice job on the story

I wanted to commend them on it but didn't see a link for email.

DinoBoy, are they an independent, do you know?

[Ediacara]

8. IIRC they're a Lee Newspaper

They're by far the best paper in Montana, and do a good job of investigative reporting. They should have an email link in the Campaign Underground link for Montana's local media.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. More at the Billings Gazette

"Harvey Valentine, Republican Governors Association spokesman, confirmed that the Washington, D.C., group paid for the poll, done by the Tarrance Group of Arlington, Va., which subcontracted to Western Watts of Lethbridge, Alberta. He denied it was a push poll. "

The Tarrance Group

Going to dinner. Ciao.

[MrPrax]

10. Anyone in Utah need a Job...!!

FROM SUU: http://www1.suu.edu/ss/career/ofctelemarketing.asp
Career Services
Off-Campus Jobs - Telemarketing

Job Number: 1906
|Job Title: Opinion data collectors - surveys
Organization: Western Wats
Job Description: Western Watts - Political and Market Research company
Qualifications: Good customer service skills.
Contact Information: Call Seth at his cell: 801-360-1384 for more information. Western Wats is located here in Cedar City. Salary/Wage: Base pay $5.75
Hours: various schedules
Schedule: P/T
Closing Date: 10/23/2004

[goforit]

11. Sounds like WAR to me, eh????

The repugs are challanging a WAR.