Yikes: 10 Year Olds at Republican GOTV Call Centers

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Republicans: What Went Wrong?
The California Republican Party is conducting an internal audit over why its unprecedented $20 million get-out-the-vote effort didn't produce wins for their candidates on election day. Only Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and insurance commissioner Steve Poizner captured statewide offices for the GOP, which also failed to pick up any new seats in the Legislature. One Republican incumbent, Secretary of State Bruce McPherson, was unseated.

Some conservative Republicans are demanding answers from the party. State Board of Equalization member Bill Leonard, who was reelected to his regional seat by a large margin, already has asked for the audit of the statewide effort. He has heard "rumors" that the GOP telephoned voters using scripts written by Schwarzenegger's team that only mentioned Schwarzenegger, that there was "mischief" with literature distributed on door-hangers in neighborhoods, and that the Republican Party may have called non-Republicans to encourage them to vote.

"At this point, such accusations remain just that: undocumented statements with a tinge of bitterness following a brutal defeat of most of the party ticket," Leonard wrote to his supporters this week. "Therefore, what is needed is full disclosure by the CRP leadership, a detailed political audit of how this campaign was waged. The party members, donors and volunteers deserve to know the full truth and the actual numbers."

Turnout in some important Republican counties was lower than in Democratic areas. A look at the most recent statistics, for example, shows Democrat-heavy Alameda County had a 61.2% turnout among all voters, while only 49.7% showed up in Republican-leaning Orange County. San Bernardino County, which leans Republican as well, showed a 43% turnout.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/politicalmuscle/2006/11/republicans_wha.html

[havocmom]

1. Got a call, 5 minutes before poll closing time here, from VERY giggly girl

who said she was over 18, but no, didn't have homework because she wasn't in school. LOTS of laughing and noise in background. Boiler room sounds, but all very young voices and LOTS of laughter.

Asked they young lady where she was calling from. She told me to 'hang on' and then tried to cover the phone as she asked someone what to tell me. There were several voices chiming in the background, all guessing names of recognizable town names that might be in Montana. She came on with a best guess. So I asked her what the weather was like

Yeah, me bad. :evilgrin:

Asked her if her mom knew she was up calling strangers. 'No, ah, I mean yeah'.

But I figure the kid might be safer having me waste her time than some possible pedophile, tickled pink that the GOP is having potential victims call.

My mind flashed back through historical points about the use of youngsters to fight wars. Yep, sounds like a tactic today's GOP would resort to. And from all the giggling in the background, I wondered what the GOP was serving their VERY young volunteers.

Stoned or stupid was my condensed analysis of the caller.

[Ian David]

3. Well, that would explain why...

when I told them I was a Democrat, the person on the phone called me a "giant poopie-head."

[Laura PourMeADrink]

4. lol

[baldguy]

2. Well, they've been acting like 5th graders all this time...

[seabeyond]

5. my children are politically aware and have been for a while

i wouldnt want the other side deiding who i am as a parent and being being negative about me or my kids just because it would be supporting dems, so i will not jump in on this. also, even though it is not an attitude, belief or thought pattern we teach our kids, i think it is important for children to go outside ourselves and be aware of what is going on in the world and be a part.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

6. I agree - my son was 5 when he helped put political flyers on

windshields in a parking lot. How hypocritical of me to think that it was ok for me/us and not for the other side. It's just something about teaching a child to push for something negative (more war, money for the wealthy forgetting the unfortunates, etc.) that strikes me as indoctrination.

[seabeyond]

8. my children went to a private christians school panhandle of texas

was probably the biggest lesson that will serve them well as they journey thru life. they learned indoctrination and saw how it was done, how wrong it is, and how it hurts people not to mention it is not what the religion says. huge for my kids. i know what indoctrination is. had never seen it until moving to this area and being a part of the culture. the kids had parallel worlds of adult culting kids at the school, and our house insisting on free thinking, being informed and deciding thru ones heart. i can not thank this school more for what they gave my boys. it also allows me to understand what has happened to this nation since bushco thru religion and why we are whee we are

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Great way to look at it. I am transplanted to Texas as well from

Connecticut. Had a similar experience when my son went on a "skiing trip" (sounds like fun, right) to Gatlinburg, TN with a school group. Turns out 50% of it was religious teaching and telling them they would all go to hell if they didn't act right. Scott didn't buy into it but said girls were crying. Turns out he and his friend were in charge of video taping the religious events to be shown on closing night. They did that but in the middle they snuck out to a room in the hotel where they were doing aerobics. They filmed the girls there and when they showed it on closing night the people running the deal went balistic and hauled them up on stage and told everyone they were going to hell and to pray for them.

I was so irate - man it's been years ago and I am still irate. But, like you said, it helps them grow into independent thinkers.

[elehhhhna]

10. I doubt they were children...the Reeps here in TX22 used LOTS

of "temps" -- the lowest paid they coud find -- I'm assuming this was because nobody would volunteer for their GOTV efforts. And this is in SUGAR LAND for God's sake! LMAO

[meldroc]

7. I have no problems with kids jumping into the political process.

Granted, the kid in the picture's making calls for the wrong party. :P If I had a kid, I'd encourage him to do the same - join me in a MoveOn.org GOTV calling party, or helping me distribute fliers, etc. That's exactly the sort of thing that kids should be doing.

[elehhhhna]

11. My gals thought it was pretty cool to meet Congressman Lamspson the Saturday

before the election. (LOL FINALLY one of Mommy & Daddy's candidates WINS for a change!) Didn't hurt that he took the time to actually talk to them...

He's a keeper. Here's the pic:

[IDemo]

9. But they sure know a lot about clean coal. Wow.

:-)

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. My children, 16 and 8, joined me in campaigning this year. It's a civics lesson.

Granted, I would never let my 8 year old call...

... but my 16 year old did lit drops. :hi:

[Javaman]

13. Just give me the chance and I'll make them cry.

:evilgrin: