McCain Astroturfing: To Depress Turnout of Democratic Demographics [View All]

[tishaLA]

From Wikileaks--they cannot attest to its veracity, but you can read their analysis of it at this link

The document, dated May 15, 2008, and denied by the McCain campaign team, presents a memorandum written "S. Schmidt", possibly Steven Schmidt, a senior McCain campaign advisor. The document details strategy designed to covertly exploit and increase rivalry between followers of the Democratic Party candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. If genuine it appears that it was sent to a wider McCain campaign team group which focussed on internet based campaigning.

According to the memo, conflict between Clinton and Obama has created a possibility, on the event of an Obama nomination, to "depress the turnout of key Democratic demographics in November".

To reach voters consisting mainly of "white, female voters over the age of 40", a strategy has been worked out, based on newly tested "lines of attack through independent pro-Clinton communities on the Internet", "local 'meet-ups", and similar means.

The document identifies three points believed to "resonate well" with the demographic and which it hopes will weaken Obama's growth following Clinton's loss of the nomination.

1. Sen. Obama’s connection to Rev. Wright
2. His inexperience
3. His links to the corrupt Chicago political machine ...

Please read the entire document in .pdf form, here