Has Any Politician Besides Bush & Clinton Planted Shill Questioners?

[MannyGoldstein]

I've read a number of posts that tell us to "grow up, this is just the way politics works, it's always done this way". But, until Bush, I never heard of planted shills in the audience - and I've been following politics since Watergate. Did this happen and just escape my notice? Or are the Clintons simply embracing the Bush/Rove playbook?

[Lerkfish]

1. the claim is that "everyone does it"

but I'm not aware of us knowing in the public of other instances in other campaigns.

perhaps they are correct that everyone does it, but I've seen no evidence yet.

[Bitwit1234]

2. The "other" guys didn't get caught...

[NCarolinawoman]

3. I know of shill "cheerleaders".

This is a blurb about the Edwards campaign from the Chicago Tribune back in 2004:
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There's crowd excitement, and then there's crowd excitement. On Wednesday, Matt Hamblin unwittingly revealed a glimpse of the man behind the campaign curtain.

Hamblin, a high school student, was among the dozens of placard-waving young people who mobbed the vehicle of North Carolina Sen. John Edwards when he arrived for an appearance at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant.

As Edwards made his way through the cheers into the student union ballroom, Hamblin explained to a reporter what had moved him to such a frenzy. "They told us, when he gets here, start screaming and storm the vehicle and act all excited," said Hamblin, a senior at Durant High School. "I was like, cool".

But Hamblin, 18, had a dirty little political secret. "Actually, I don't agree with him," he said of Edwards. "I like Bush. I'm a Republican."

--Flynn Roberts
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0401290214jan29,1,1069213.story

(edited to fix link)

[JDPriestly]

4. Who was "they"?

Hamblin's story makes no sense. Why would a Republican high school student do what "they" asked if he did not agree with it? "They" must have been pretty important to him. This story sounds phony to me.

[Lucinda]

5. Asking somone not affiliated with a campaign if they want to ask a question

is fine with me. Even if topics are suggested. They can do it or not
.
I am undecided about planting campaign staff to nudge questions one way or another. Some places may just be dry and people too unsure to ask a question.

Actually planting a heckler isn't ok.

[mtnsnake]

6. I'm not sure, but Hillary has always paid for her hairdos with her own money. nt