Comments on: Opposition Research Goldmine http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine Putting the blogosphere under a magnifying glass Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:49:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jim Addison http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine/comment-page-1#comment-28200 Jim Addison Sat, 17 Feb 2007 01:31:29 +0000 http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine#comment-28200 Bet on McCain. His campaign style is hard-knuckled, down and dirty. The whole story of him being a "victim" in 2000 was no more than a media myth, based on one wacko preacher in SC who was unaffilitated with, and unknown to, the Bush campaign. The guy, his wife, and daughter in law sat around one day, making less than 200 calls altogether, running a fake "push poll" which implied McCain had fathered an out-of-wedlock, mixed-race child (the kid in question was his adopted child). Bush condemned it the day it hit the air, and no one ever established any connection to ANY Republican or conservative organization. Yet, it became the meme of the media. Bush won because McCain denied negative campaigning on his own part in the debate, and was floored when Bush pulled out a McCain campaign flyer which had been distributed at 15 Wal-Mart parking lots the previous weekend. It was like a spotlight hitting a burglar's face as he is coming out the window with the loot. And no, this didn't even have a significant effect for 24 hours, so it means nothing in the campaign. What IS significant is NPB's opening paragraph. Very true, and a mixed bag. While the old system gave the reporters and their editors too much power over the info, the new paradigm provides for no filtering at all. Any false story will make the rounds quickly - if it's really juicy, it will spread like wildfire. Blogs are good about self-policing (as a group), but the first cut does the most damage. If a blockbuster charge hit close enough to Election Day, a false rumor might well turn a close race. Bet on McCain. His campaign style is hard-knuckled, down and dirty. The whole story of him being a “victim” in 2000 was no more than a media myth, based on one wacko preacher in SC who was unaffilitated with, and unknown to, the Bush campaign. The guy, his wife, and daughter in law sat around one day, making less than 200 calls altogether, running a fake “push poll” which implied McCain had fathered an out-of-wedlock, mixed-race child (the kid in question was his adopted child). Bush condemned it the day it hit the air, and no one ever established any connection to ANY Republican or conservative organization. Yet, it became the meme of the media.

Bush won because McCain denied negative campaigning on his own part in the debate, and was floored when Bush pulled out a McCain campaign flyer which had been distributed at 15 Wal-Mart parking lots the previous weekend. It was like a spotlight hitting a burglar’s face as he is coming out the window with the loot.

And no, this didn’t even have a significant effect for 24 hours, so it means nothing in the campaign.

What IS significant is NPB’s opening paragraph. Very true, and a mixed bag. While the old system gave the reporters and their editors too much power over the info, the new paradigm provides for no filtering at all. Any false story will make the rounds quickly – if it’s really juicy, it will spread like wildfire. Blogs are good about self-policing (as a group), but the first cut does the most damage. If a blockbuster charge hit close enough to Election Day, a false rumor might well turn a close race.

]]> By: Timothy http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine/comment-page-1#comment-27405 Timothy Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:58:54 +0000 http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine#comment-27405 Oh sure, I got that much, what I was getting at is I actually don't think the book itself is that big a deal. Oh sure, I got that much, what I was getting at is I actually don’t think the book itself is that big a deal.

]]> By: Not Paul Begala http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine/comment-page-1#comment-27342 Not Paul Begala Tue, 13 Feb 2007 23:03:17 +0000 http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine#comment-27342 To be clear, Rudy didn't do this, McCain or Romney did. They somehow got a hold of this book and sent it out to screw up Rudy's impending announcement. To be clear, Rudy didn’t do this, McCain or Romney did. They somehow got a hold of this book and sent it out to screw up Rudy’s impending announcement.

]]> By: Timothy http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine/comment-page-1#comment-27324 Timothy Tue, 13 Feb 2007 21:39:49 +0000 http://www.blogpi.net/opposition-research-goldmine#comment-27324 To me this sounds like another one of those "Politician does oppo research, people shocked" sort of situations. I'm unlikely to vote for the guy based on his policy, but it's not like I find him doing a study of the weaknesses of his mayoral campaign to be totally shocking. My word, he was acting like he wanted to get elected! THE HORROR! To me this sounds like another one of those “Politician does oppo research, people shocked” sort of situations. I’m unlikely to vote for the guy based on his policy, but it’s not like I find him doing a study of the weaknesses of his mayoral campaign to be totally shocking. My word, he was acting like he wanted to get elected! THE HORROR!

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