Uh oh Dean staff member admits lying, misrepresenting himself as Iowan

[MIMStigator]

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash7.htm

This is a letter from Kerry to Dean. Opinion is that it's wrong to pose as Iowans to try to spy on other campaigns.

[Jack_Dawson]

1. Not a good week for Dean

Dean lies, staffers lie, bogus fliers, foot-in-mouth...

[cthrumatrix]

24. BS Dean campaign has already denied this -heres the Dean reply from Trippi

January 8, 2004

Dear Steve Murphy,

I am saddened by your letter today because sleazy tactics like yours are exactly the reason that people have stopped participating in the political process.

Let me be clear, your allegation is ridiculous. The 3,500 volunteers who have pledged to come to Iowa by caucus time are people who believe in a better America and a stronger democracy. Many are first time voters who have chosen to reengage in the political process because they understand that government has stopped working for the people. They know that Howard Dean is a different type of politician, and if we asked them to participate in the activities you allege, they would get in their cars and drive home.

We understand that the grassroots enthusiasm this campaign has generated and the over 3,500 volunteers who are canvassing in Iowa this month is threatening to Dick Gephardt. But that is no excuse for you to try to make Iowans question the motives of these idealistic Americans who are paying their own way to Iowa to canvass. In doing so, you are practicing precisely the type of politics that these volunteers are dedicating their time and effort to stopping.

People are tired of this type of campaigning, which is why we've been energizing voters across the country with our message of hope and of a better democracy. As Governor Dean often says, it's not enough for us to change presidents -- we need to change the way politics work.

Frankly, Steve, baseless political allegations like the one in your letter lead me to believe more and more that your campaign is not the one to make this change.

These allegations are not just an insult to Howard Dean and me, but they are an insult to all of the new people we're bringing into the process. Instead of these despicable and desperate attacks, you should start running the kind of campaign that inspires and energizes thousands of new voters so much that they want to come to Iowa and campaign for your candidate!

I assure you these allegations are false, and if my word is not good enough for you and Dick Gephardt, for whom I served in 1988 as deputy campaign manager, then it is with a particularly heavy heart that I send this letter.

Sincerely,

Joe Trippi
campaign manager

[cthrumatrix]

32. with this denial -- who in the hell is starting these "shannigans"... ?

and Drudge is spreading the crap right on cue....this smells of a Rove like ploy

[MIMStigator]

40. This isn't the same thing you're talking about this is Kerry accusing Dean

This is the Kerry campaign

[cthrumatrix]

46. oh what a coincidence of con-current BS..... kerry and gep

[Jerseycoa]

48. Huh?

The Drudge Report refers to a Kerry campaign letter. Trippi's letter refers to a letter from the Gephardt campaign. Which is it?

[a_random_joel]

2. Uh oh Bush staff member admits lying misrepresenting Saddam as a threat

Perhaps there are more serious lies to be concerned about?

[ThirdWheelLegend]

23. so that makes it ok?

Not saying the drudge report is true. This is the same type of response when Dean lied TWICE about other candidates anti-war positions.

So a teller of lesser degree lies is our choice over a teller of higher degree lies?

YAY AMERICA!

I know this thread is not about Dean lying, just using an example.

[a_random_joel]

58. It makes it Irrelevant

1. Dean is not being accused of lying.
2. Lying that causes death and destruction versus lying about living in Iowa?

Non-Starter. Next!

[ThirdWheelLegend]

76. I guess the answer is yes..

A liar is ok as long as he isn't killing people.

For me I prefer neither.

TWL

[funky_bug]

3. Well...well..

Even a staunch Clark supporter such as myself did not want to believe ANY of our hopefulls would stoop so low. I'd like more information to verify the validity of this claim though.

[DU9598]

4. What's it say?

I am interested in hearing more about this, but won't give Drudge site the hit. Can you summarize what he says or post the direct link to the third party website?

[MIMStigator]

10. sorry here go

Letter from Kerry people

On Tuesday, a young man came into our Creston office and said he was a resident of Red Oak, Iowa. He claimed he was in town for business, working at a local farm. He asked numerous questions about what our staff did, the territory they covered, and what type of folks we were calling in Creston. Our staff was immediately suspicious.

The next day, a different young man came into the office and identified himself as Mark Evans. He said that he was the new manager at the local HYVEE, and that he and his wife just moved from Georgia. He started Asking questions about our operation and began snooping around the office. Our staffers were confident they had seen him wearing a Dean sticker around town, so they asked him why he had come into the office. He said that he was an undecided Iowa caucus-goer, and was interested in politics.

Today, this second man, "Mark Evans," returned to the Creston office and admitted that he and his friend had lied, and that they were employed by your campaign. He identified himself as Mitch Lawson, who moved here from Georgia to work for Dean. According to Mitch, "We came into your office to find out information and get your calling scripts from you."

[adadem]

16. names the out-of-state Dean staffers

posing as Iowa residents and caught snooping around the Kerry campaign office trying to get their calling scripts.

Again, not surprised.

[MIMStigator]

5. I can't see Clark's people doing this junk

eom

[adadem]

25. They wouldn't

nor would the other candidates ... then I'd be surprised.

[bitchkitty]

6. Drudge?

When are you going to start posting Newsmax articles?

Or do you just not realize where you are?

[diamondsoul]

21. Usually you and I are at odds, I think,

but that was the exact same reaction I had.

[Dookus]

50. Do you think it's a lie made up by Drudge?

He quotes an entire letter from a Kerry staffer.

Just because it's on Drudge doesn't mean it's untrue.

[Jerseycoa]

60. There's something going on

Kerry's campaign writes to Trippi in one letter and Trippi responds to Gephardt's campaign in the other.

[Dookus]

61. I'm seeing a pattern

in the knee-jerk defenses of Dean every time something like this crops up.

First, they scream "LIE!"

Then when it's proven, they say "it's been debunked". Usually by referring to another matter entirely.

Then they say "well, it's not that bad... everybody does it."

It would be refreshing to see somebody say right up front - "Gee, I like Dean, but I wish his campaign wouldn't do stuff like that."

[bitchkitty]

67. Oh, well then!

I repeat, do you know where you are? And do you have an inkling of how freaking out of line it is to post articles from sources like this? To those of us not new to politics, those of us all too familiar with right wing, freeper tactics, it's very nearly unforgiveable.

You guys really need to step back and take a look at yourself. I am absolutely filled with disgust for the conduct of various people on this board.

[Dookus]

71. bitchkitty...

please try to understand that because it appears on Drudge's site, that doesn't mean it's untrue.

I can go to drudge's site right now and find 10 stories are entire true.

But I guess it's easier to attack Drudge than to defend against the charge itself.

If the charge is entirely true, and is validated elsewhere will you condemn it?

[bitchkitty]

74. Oh, please -

try to justify it. Why don't you just start taking your talking points from FreeRepublic?

I could quote things about Clark that I get from the Drudge Report, or FreeRepublic, but I won't do it. Some of us have standards. Evidently not you.

[bitchkitty]

65. It's happening more and more

lately - a John Fund editorial here, a Drudge article there. I really, really miss Table Talk!

[DoveTurnedHawk]

7. I Will Bet All Kinds of These Stories Are Going to Start Coming Out

Considering the depth of fanaticism many Dean supporters display, and the much-ballyhooed "revolutionary" nature of Dean's supposedly bottoms-up campaign, all kinds of dirty tricks will soon become clear, while the Dean campaign attempts to keep its distance and desperately disavow them as the actions of a few renegades.

DTH

[cthrumatrix]

57. LOL...like we know truth of any of these accusations .... give me a break

[Closer]

8. WOW

for a right wing media who "really wants Dean as the nominee" they sure are going after him left and right.

[windansea]

17. errr....... the letter is from the Kerry campaign

nice try though

[Jerseycoa]

54. So why is Trippi writing to Gephardt, you know? nt

[blm]

20. Nope. They feel certain he's the nominee

and will do what they can to cause chaos for him and the Dem party. The teflon was NEVER going to last so I don't know why so many got used to it.

[LuminousX]

9. Doesn't pass the smell test

Why would he go back to 'admit the truth?'

[MIMStigator]

14. Attack of morals

Dean people are good they just get crazy sometimes

[LuminousX]

15. Highly doubtful

Looks like dirty tricks alright, but not by Dean.

[TacticalPeek]

43. Basic smarts. Get it out, and the earlier the better.

Stop the story. Cut your losses.


However, first reports are inaccurate, so I don't feel like I know what's really going down here. But I wish Dean (and all candidates) would always fight back, fast as possible, and personally where appropriate. I recognize that Dean may get the nod, in which case I'll gladly support him, but in that case, the less damaged the goods, the better. Same for Gep, etc.

If your campaign screws up, face it and face it fast, and move on.

[killbotfactory]

11. Give an opinion, or this is against the rules...

Drudge is a conservative source.

[jonnyblitz]

12. The Drudge Report eh? isn't that a right wing source?

hmmmmm.....:eyes:

[ClarkGraham2004]

13. Give me a break. This makes me SICK.

www.clark04.com

[jonnyblitz]

22. using Drudge as a source makes me sick

man some of you sure love your right wing media..

[ClarkGraham2004]

30. Not as much as Dean "supporters" like Neil Boortz

At least Drudge reports actual news.

[Capn Sunshine]

29. Wait until you realize you're working with republican operatives

Dedicated to fomenting as much discord as possible
Then You'll really be :puke:

[ClarkGraham2004]

34. Yes, it was the OPERATIVES

who are running a covert op in NH smearing Clark. Oh wait, that's DEAN.

[Renew Deal]

18. Mark Evans has donated to Dean

From Michigan. This may not be the same person.

EVANS, MARK
ANN ARBOR, MI 48103
BORDERS GROUP INC./DIRECTOR PLANN

DEAN, HOWARD
VIA DEAN FOR AMERICA
06/15/2003 300.00 23991380892

[Terwilliger]

19. already debunked

January 8, 2004

Dear Steve Murphy,

I am saddened by your letter today because sleazy tactics like yours are exactly the reason that people have stopped participating in the political process.

Let me be clear, your allegation is ridiculous. The 3,500 volunteers who have pledged to come to Iowa by caucus time are people who believe in a better America and a stronger democracy. Many are first time voters who have chosen to reengage in the political process because they understand that government has stopped working for the people. They know that Howard Dean is a different type of politician, and if we asked them to participate in the activities you allege, they would get in their cars and drive home.

We understand that the grassroots enthusiasm this campaign has generated and the over 3,500 volunteers who are canvassing in Iowa this month is threatening to Dick Gephardt. But that is no excuse for you to try to make Iowans question the motives of these idealistic Americans who are paying their own way to Iowa to canvass. In doing so, you are practicing precisely the type of politics that these volunteers are dedicating their time and effort to stopping.

People are tired of this type of campaigning, which is why we've been energizing voters across the country with our message of hope and of a better democracy. As Governor Dean often says, it's not enough for us to change presidents -- we need to change the way politics work.

Frankly, Steve, baseless political allegations like the one in your letter lead me to believe more and more that your campaign is not the one to make this change.

These allegations are not just an insult to Howard Dean and me, but they are an insult to all of the new people we're bringing into the process. Instead of these despicable and desperate attacks, you should start running the kind of campaign that inspires and energizes thousands of new voters so much that they want to come to Iowa and campaign for your candidate!

I assure you these allegations are false, and if my word is not good enough for you and Dick Gephardt, for whom I served in 1988 as deputy campaign manager, then it is with a particularly heavy heart that I send this letter.

Sincerely,

Joe Trippi
campaign manager

[demon67]

33. This is not "debunking"

It is a naked denial that fails to refute the underlying factual allegations. Dean is going to have to better than attacking the messanger.

[daytondem]

39. Which campaign is saying this Kerry or Gephardt?

The story talks about Kerry and the letter you posted mentions Gephardt.

[MIMStigator]

41. this is Kerry

em

[daytondem]

45. Are they both making this accusation?

[sandnsea]

They admitted it

The post is about people going into the Kerry campaign trying to steal phone scripts. If you read in the thread here, the individuals admitted it. So there's no debunking to be done.

[Dookus]

53. debunked?

So Trippi responds to a complaint by the Kerry campaign by sending a letter to Gephardt's campaign?

That doesn't make much sense now, does it?

[Terwilliger]

69. *SWIFF*

Trippi is talking to the Gephardt campaign about the original allegation, which he said was false. The Drudge story is that Dean staffers are misrepresenting themselves in Iowa.

How does this not equal a debunking?

And fer cripes sake, the Drudge bit is a letter probably co-ordinated with the Gephardt campaign manager.

[wndycty]

26. Are you surprised. . .I am not

:kick:

[bowens43]

62. Me neither gephardt and kerry are desperate.

I really didn't think they would stoop so low as to conspire against the front runner. This is pathetic.

[WI_DEM]

27. seeing that nearly every post you do is anti-Dean

I wonder if you will vote for Dean if he is nominated?

[MIMStigator]

42. yeah I will

ABB

[Renew Deal]

28. Dean Link profile for Mitch Lawson.... This is true!!!

http://commons.deanforamerica.com/seeUser.php?memberID=21868

Mitch Lawson's Profile
Interests: none found
Issues: none found
Location: Rome, GA




Friends Of Mitch
These are people that have put Mitch in his/her friend list

Matt Jennings, Robert Bunn

[windansea]

36. yeah but that's a right wing source

:crazy:

[windansea]

38. good score Bleach

guess that debunks the debunkal

[Padraig18]

31. Oh yeah, Drudge is a GREAT source for 'truth'...

:eyes:

[SahaleArm]

35. Hit or miss - But he did break the Dean interview about finding Jesus n/t

[Dookus]

56. and

attacking the source doesn't address the story at all.

Drudge printed a letter from the Kerry campaign.

Do you believe Drudge made the whole thing up?

Believe it or not, the vast majority of stuff on Drudge's site is true, whether you like him or not.

[cthrumatrix]

59. you tell me who has a vested interest in smearing Dean --- duh

[11cents]

37. If the allegation came from the Kerry campaign

... why is Trippi's reply apparently addressed to the Gephardt campaign? Wuh? Huh? Me so confused.

[MIMStigator]

44. The Gephart letter is a whole different thing

nt

[11cents]

52. Got it. Gep campaign made a separate allegation

... about possible caucus fraud. So the Trippi letter shouldn't have been posted here as a response to the Kerry allegation.

[Jerseycoa]

68. Okay, thanks

Do we have the Gephardt letter?

[eileen from OH]

47. There's something really weird about this story

These two guys went in and passed themselves off as Iowans to get info. And then, a few days later, one walks in and confesses that he lied. I mean, why confess? He hadn't been caught, he really hadn't done anything illegal up to that point, but he felt he had to come back and 'fess up? ??????

As far as going into an office and representing himself as an Iowan, hell, that kind of campaign crap goes on all the time. And, if you wanna get picky about it, if he'd moved there from Georgia, he really WAS an Iowan. (Yeah, yeah, I know he absolutely did lie about his bio. But again that's the kind of stuff that happens in campaigns.)

I KNOW we've had other candidates' supporters at our Meetups and they lie too but sheeet, we don't care. Hell, DUers have even written about doing exactly that.

Also, there is bit of a leap from doing something stoopid like going to an office and playing spy and doing something illegal like going to the CAUCUS and trying to vote.

Something is very, very weird about this story.

eileen from OH

[EXE619K]

49. Oh Pleeze.....

It seems like a lot of folks here are new to political campaigning.

Do you folks honestly think that other campaigns are do not engage in propaganda lettering, behind the door startegizing to knock off the other guy or zealotry of few supporters?

Saint Clark or Saint Kerry would never do something like this...right?

Gimme a break!


VETERANS FOR DEAN!


DEAN LEADS THE WAY!

PS....excellent point about the RW media and their preference for "please nominate Dean!" campaign.

[BootinUp]

51. Slashdotted I guess, can't bring up drudge site

[isbister]

55. here it is

DEAN CAMPAIGN STAFFER ADMITS LYING, MISREPRESENTING HIMSELF AS IOWA VOTER Kerry Campaign Iowa Director John Norris Demands Firing of Two Staffers

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash7.htm

[TacticalPeek]

63. Mercy! Staffers?

The Dean campaign needs to address this and move on

THIS CYCLE!!!!

[curse10]

64. We had a DUer admit he was sent to a Kerry event in order to spy

by the Dean campaign.

[funky_bug]

72. Dean supporter sent to Clark rally too

During the True Grits tour, Clark stopped in New Orleans. I happened to be vacationing there and we ran right over. We met a couple of DU'ers there. If Cory is out there, he can verify this story.

A local reporter was there to cover the event. She was furiously penning notes while interviewing one of the people there. I stepped over to see what she was so excited about and heard this question from her:

"So, did the Dean campaign give you any specific directives as to what you should do or say here?"

Yes, she was interviewing a Dean supporter. Who he was, and why he was there remain a mystery. He did NOT stir up trouble, did NOT speak out or hand out flyers, but he DID get all the reporter's time. Her choice. The rally organizer took Cory, my husband and myself over to meet the reporter. She had ZERO interest in talking with Clark supporters. She spend a total of 3 minutes listening to Cory, jotted three words down, excused herself, and went back to the Dean supporter.

Just a bit of interesting news, in light of recent posts.

Edited for grammar

[Lobo_13]

66. Guess what

There was a guy trying to volunteer for the Dean campaign a couple of months ago. They let him make some calls and he went away.

Two weeks later, he was spotted working in the Kerry office two floors up. Turns out he was just another staffer.

This is not news, nor is it particularly out of bounds.

Note that I don't know if the original story is true or not. But the reverse is certainly true.

[Terwilliger]

70. Oh, I see, so this guy gets "caught" and just spills the beans!

ya right

[Printer70]

73. LOL @ Clark supporters lack of ethics

This is not a news article. It is a Kerry campaign missive that was obviously leaked for political impact. Naturally, Clark supporters are trying to turn this into scandal before the facts are verified. Typical Republican tactic.

[MIMStigator]

75. The guy admitted it. Do u think Dean should fire him

I do

[slinkerwink]

hmmm.....

:hurts:

[Moderator]

77. Locking......

5. If you post an article or other published content which is from a conservative source or which expresses a traditionally conservative viewpoint, you must state your opinion about the piece and/or the issues it raises.



DU Moderator