Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Obama's campaign released its own robocall in Wisconsin in response to what it called McCain's "sleazy phone calls." According to the Web site Talking Points Memo, the call features Jeri Watermolen, a former McCain backer who has turned to support Obama because of the McCain campaign's calls. "I live in Green Bay, and, like you, I've been getting sleazy phone calls and mail from John McCain and his supporters viciously -- and falsely -- attacking Barack Obama. I used to support John McCain because he honorably served our country, but this year he's running a dishonorable campaign," Watermolen says in the call.>> Source: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/23/campaign.wrap/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITI...dex.html</a> If the race continues to tighten you'll see Obama go just as dirty as McCain. That is the way politics is in 2008, sadly.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>If the race continues to tighten you'll see Obama go just as dirty as McCain. That is the way politics is in 2008, sadly.<< Again, the whole "it's all the same" argument won't fly here. Obama's been using robocalls for a while. Robocalls have been used in politics for sometime, for local and national candidates. It's not that the calls are being made, it's the content. Obama's robocall quoted above sounds mighty accurate to me. McCain's isn't. There's a difference. When Obama starts linking McCain to terrorists or starts calling him anti-American, let me know.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Content-wise, you're right, ecdc. Content matters. But tactically, I wish Obama wouldn't use robocalls. The reason: they're annoying. I've seen a couple of studies where they seem to be losing their effectiveness. People get so many robocalls already from people trying to sell them something (or think they've stopped that by getting on the do-not-call list, only to get political robocalls, which are exempted from do-not-call), that they hear that slight pause after they say "hello," hear an obvious recording, and instantly get annoyed. If they bother to hang on long enough to hear which side the call is from, they're just as likely to get negative feelings at THAT side as the side the call is slamming (partly because few people actually listen all the way through the message any more). I hope that's all true - the only thing that will stop the robocalls is if they're seen as ineffective. I'm sorry to see Obama using them at all, though if they're truthful at least they're better than the misleading or untruthful ones.
Originally Posted By mele Does anybody really listen to those calls? If I mistakenly answer, I hang up as soon as I know what it is. I'm surprised anyone would sit there and listen to any of them.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>I hope that's all true - the only thing that will stop the robocalls is if they're seen as ineffective. I'm sorry to see Obama using them at all, though if they're truthful at least they're better than the misleading or untruthful ones.<< I couldn't agree more. Everyone's talking about Obama's fundraising advantage. And while I'm glad he has it, I worry that all that money will have him overplay his hand. This close to the election the last thing we need is people getting Obama fatigue. Imagine being in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, or Virginia. I sit down and watch The Office tonight. In 15 minutes, I've seen four Obama ads. The phone rings: it's an Obama robo-call. I get a knock at the door: it's Obama canvassers. I already got a mailer today from Obama.
Originally Posted By DAR Well I can let you guys know if I receive a robo-call(I still think my giant fighting robots idea for the election would kick all sorts of but)and when I do no matter who it is I'm going to hang up.
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Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt Was the issue with McCain the robocalls or the lies that were contained within?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<>>If the race continues to tighten you'll see Obama go just as dirty as McCain. That is the way politics is in 2008, sadly.<< This is funny as if Obama has not run a dirty race, it's like some people live on Mars>> Please show me where my statement indicated that I thought Obama had run a dirty campaign? I said IF the race started to tighten, I thought Obama would go dirty. GO DIRTY. Not get dirtier. GO DIRTY. In other words, I in no way thought his campaign to date had been dirty. Please. Read before commenting.
Originally Posted By mele I think that's the point, RT, that the sock puppet thinks that Obama HAS been running a very dirty campaign and those who do not think so live on Mars. How's life on Mars, RT? ;-)
