November 3, 2012

"Unprecedented micro-targeting by campaigns creeps out voters."

And they're especially willing to say so when they're targeted by their zip code and they don't agree with the party that dominates there:
"It was Mitt Romney saying, 'I know you have an absentee ballot and I know you haven't sent it in yet,' " Trulen said in an interview. "That just sent me over the line. Not only is it like Big Brother. It is Big Brother. It's down to where they know I have a ballot and I haven't sent it in! I thought when I requested the ballot that the only other entity that would know was the Mukwonago clerk.... It's alarming to me.... It's just not right. . . . It's like you can feel the tentacles creeping into your house under your door."

The calls to Trulen were likely part of the GOP's effort to get out the vote in what the party considers one of its strongest counties. Waukesha County is traditionally a Republican stronghold, just as Milwaukee tends to go for Democrats.

The irony is that the robocallers apparently haven't figured out Trulen is actually a minority in her county: She has been voting Democratic.
For comparison, check out the "report card" the liberals send to our house yesterday... "I'm sure they chose Meade as a recipient based on our zip code."

110 comments:

wyo sis said...

It's creepy no matter who does it. I can't believe it's effective enough to overcome the negatives.

Michael K said...

I'm getting four or five calls a day from Romney folks to contribute more. I've maxed out what I can afford but they still call. They are robocalls from the same number and usually, if I wait a ring or two to answer, there is nobody there.

The one lady I talked to sounded like she is black. I don't know if she is a volunteer or a paid call center worker.

Expat(ish) said...

Well they can't figure out how she votes ... because that's secret.

If she's registered as an independent (I am too lazy to look) and is in a heavily R area then she's up for grabs.

I'm registered as a Donk b/c our local politics are totally D and if I registered an R I'd never get to vote in primaries.

-XC

PS - I'm with her on this use of the data, but it's obvious on why it has to be open as to who voted, who got what, etc.

Icepick said...

The NAACP put a "Get out and vote" flier on my door this morning. I live in a predominantly black neighborhood. If they had seen me or any of my family members (the rest of them look somewhat Nordic for a reason) I'm sure they wouldn't have bothered.

But I'm getting lots of pro-Romney stuff in the mail. Some for me, some for my wife, some for my mother (now deceased) and a few for "Resident". Sending those mailings out to "resident" isn't a good use of campaign funds for Romney.

Neither are all the pro-Obama ads the other side's got running on the radio shows of Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity or Neal Boortz.

A lot of money not being spent that well by either side.

Hagar said...

I am with the lady from New Hampshire, who said she never votes in primaries, "That just encourages them!"

Icepick said...

For the record I look like the mix of English, German and Scottish that I am. But my wife's family favors an even more northern ancestry, and our daughter favors my wife in coloring, at least.

Icepick said...

Hagar, the problem is that nothing seems to DIScourage them.

yashu said...

There've also been reports of phone phishing/ scam calls purportedly for R/R donations. So beware.

Jane said...

I'm going to be part of entering voter names into an iPhone app on election day from inside the polling place.

They're going to be creeped out even more on election day when the phone rings: "Yo! Why haven't you voted yet?"

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I see it mostly as an example of bad manners, something on the rise.

Original Mike said...

I got another one of those "which of your neighbors has voted in the past elections" mailing a couple of days ago. I do not understand the motivation for these.

Ruth Anne Adams said...

Jane,
ORCA?

garage mahal said...

'm going to be part of entering voter names into an iPhone app on election day from inside the polling place

Democrats have Souls to the Polls. Republicans have Ghouls to the Polls.

What an awesome party.

Bill Harshaw said...

@OriginalMike

You should read the Issenberg book:Victory Lab.

Research showed one of the best ways to get people to vote was to show who had voted--the psychology is you want to keep up with your neighbors. "best" however is relative, nothing works very well except having a friend or family member ask if you've voted.

Chip Ahoy said...

The ballots are tracked like ups packages except more detailed. You can opt for email notifications. It's fun watching through emails how your ballot travels. It's reassuring.

* Your ballot is being prepared for printing
* You ballot has been printed
* Sally is folding your ballot and preparing an envelope
* Doug licked the envelope your ballot is in
* Hank took your ballot to the post office
* Dave the postal clerk sorted your ballot
* Frank the postman, substituting for Frances, delivered your ballot.
* Your ballot is in your mailbox
* Jesus Christ, check your mail already
* Your ballot is sitting on your kitchen table
* You've mailed your ballot back
* Your ballot is received by the post office
* We have your ballot back and its safe and sound in a pile
* Your ballot is opened, its contents examined, your votes are tallied.
* We can't believe you voted for that douche, but there you go, you're done for now. Thank you. Tits.

Colorado is the best. Everybody's very conscientious around here.

Riley said...

I saw a story a while back on the television, to the effect that they will know when you've returned your ballot. And then they will stop calling you house.

It didn't work. They are still calling.

So I am in the position of wishing that Big Brother knew a little more about me, not less.

Anonymous said...

I just got a call from a woman at the Obama campaign in San Francisco to come down and make phone calls for Obama. I told her, "Nope. This year I'm voting for Romney." She said, "What?!" in a flustered way and we both hung up on each other.

Wince said...

This stuff can go too far.

But unless you support the other guy, is it really "creepy" to be reminded that your vote will not count unless your open ballot is returned in time?

Was that California grandmother "creeped-out" when reminded to look for that $23 million lottery jackpot ticket before the deadline? They used point of sale data to identify her.

Chip Ahoy said...

The ballots are tracked like ups packages except more detailed. You can opt for email notifications. It's fun watching through emails how your ballot travels. It's reassuring.

* Your ballot is being prepared for printing
* You ballot has been printed
* Sally is folding your ballot and preparing an envelope
* Doug licked the envelope your ballot is in
* Hank took your ballot to the post office
* Dave the postal clerk sorted your ballot
* Frank the postman, substituting for Frances, delivered your ballot.
* Your ballot is in your mailbox
* Jesus Christ, check your mail already
* Your ballot is sitting on your kitchen table
* You've mailed your ballot back
* Your ballot is received by the post office
* We have your ballot back and its safe and sound in a pile
* Your ballot is opened, its contents examined, your votes are tallied.
* We can't believe you voted for that douche, but there you go, you're done for now. Thank you. Tits.

Colorado is the best. Everybody's very conscientious around here.

Michael K said...

" garage mahal said...
'm going to be part of entering voter names into an iPhone app on election day from inside the polling place

Democrats have Souls to the Polls. Republicans have Ghouls to the Polls. "

I don't know, garage. In the 1996 election my mother was not allowed to vote in the polling place in the lobby of the building in Chicago where she had lived 30 years.

It was a black Democrat poll watcher who challenged her. Her neighborhood, where I grew up in the 40s and 50s, is now all black. She was one of about a dozen white women still living in a 33 story building on the lake. Her Congressman was Jesse Jr.

Why stopping one 98 year old woman for voting R in that district was important I still don't know but she could not vote.

Chicago rules.

Michael K said...

" It's fun watching through emails how your ballot travels. It's reassuring."

At what stage are you notified that your ballot is in the trunk of the local committee man's car ?

Oh, I guess you have to be a Democrat.

And dead.

bagoh20 said...

They could probably use data mining from other sources and say something like:

"While you are enjoying that Digiorno Thick Crust Pepperoni Pizza and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, I'd like to speak with you for a moment about your vote which we're hoping will not correlate with your choice of a Toyota Prius last fall and the Chakra Enhancing Oil you purchased last month online."

dreams said...

I don't know why people get upset about that or pretend to as if they're so important or special. If I go online and search for maybe a recliner then I will start seeing ads for recliners on every internet site I go to and we all know this. I believe people think it is politically correct to pretend to be offended or upset when politicians take advantage of our modern technology.

Original Mike said...

Thanks, Bill.

It still creeps me out.

bagoh20 said...

What I find kind of creepy is how on my Facebook page they seem to know I'd like to meet beautiful single women with large breasts looking for an older man to have fun with. How do they know that stuff? It's like they are reading my thoughts, except there seems to be some interference since the pictures they show have incredibly large breasts, which is not really my thing. Still kinda scary.

Rose said...

I don't know why she would be surprised. Back around 1988 I agreed to help put a friend who was chairing the democrat central committee locally, I was to call people on election night to encourage them to get out and vote.

I only went the first tier, but the instruction booklet that came with it was truly amazing - detailing what to do throughout the night as poll checkers verified who had and who had not voted - the scripts that were provided said that people would tell you they had already voted, and you were to say."Well, it says here you haven't. And we really need you to go vote." It went on from there, and was more and more badgering in tone.

And this is in California, which is never in the swing state category.

The Democrats have been doing this for years and are renowned for their ground game.

To use this to now attack republicans, who have figured out they have to match or exceed the dem ground game is, well, unfair, in a word.

Anonymous said...

Obama has the supreme data analytics people. I saw a team of data people when I was in Chicago during my tour in WI in 2008.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/09/tech/innovation/obama-data-crunching-election/index.html

Romney must focus, focus, focus. Any error will be magnified by Obama and by NYT.

Vote this weekend. Please. Do not wait.

wild chicken said...

These tactics are all politics 101. It's all just an extension of pollwatching and then calling the friendly voters you know of who haven't shown up to vote yet.

Only now, there's a lot of early voting to contend with. I've done these absentee-chase calls and hated every second of it. Most voters never answer and the ones who do are irate. And these are our ID'd Republicans.

But if the party doesn't do the only things it knows how to do, then they "didn't try hard enough."

Rose said...

For Michael K - "They are robocalls from the same number" - that's because the "Cal From Home" program we use gives out a campaign number, not the person making the call's number.

You may be being called by some of us in California! We know our state is toast, and we are depending on you guys to save us!

People who are making these volunteer calls are glad that their numbers are not revealed. I hope it's not offensive to you.

A friend just emailed this, speaking of calls: "just made 127 calls to virginia - its nice having my cell phone back!

Spoke to 18 people: 11 Romney, 1 BO, 1 undecided but appreciated that I called, 3 refused to tell me.
Nearly half I left messages, maybe 20-30% were wrong numbers.

Telling them I was from northern ca and we are hoping VA saves the day, priceless!

It is amazing to me that people are undecided.. This one guy from the greatest generation decided yesterday to vote for Romney. He isn't happy about his vote, the lesser of two evils. I did all I could do to give him confidence with his vote.

I was calling all voters not just reps. ..."

Thank God for you guys, and for you especially, Michael K, it will all be over in a couple days.

ndspinelli said...

"Micro targeting", didn't we learn anything from Gabby Giffords?

Michael K said...

"bagoh20 said...
What I find kind of creepy is how on my Facebook page they seem to know I'd like to meet beautiful single women with large breasts looking for an older man to have fun with."

What ! You, too ?

This is what billion dollar campaigns look like.

I'd like to learn where Obama's money came from.

Just wondering. And what they thought they were buying.

Michael K said...

"You may be being called by some of us in California! We know our state is toast, and we are depending on you guys to save us!

People who are making these volunteer calls are glad that their numbers are not revealed. I hope it's not offensive to you."

No, I had told her I already voted but they keep coming.

I hope that the Romney votes will pull Prop 32 across the line but I;m not counting on it. I was distressed to see NRO come out against Prop32 the other day. What they don't know about local politics would fill a book.

I was upset when they trashed Derbyshire a few months ago.

John said...

Feel fortunate that it is the Romney camp that targeted your household. I've lived with harassment from the Obama camp for 4-months. Fortunately, it is almost over.

Shanna said...

Dude, 12 years ago we had voter files. And some county clerks put your name, phone number, party id, address etc...on the internet (or at least they used to). You'd be amazed what information is available, for free or for sale.

Obviously, it's stupid of a campaign to do it in a way that creeps you out, though.

Jane said...

@Ruth Anne Adams,

Yes, ORCA. And also reporting everything locally. Double-duty.

edutcher said...

Creepy it may be, but what impressed The Blonde is that, though she's registered Demo (in the services of Operation Chaos last time out), the only calls she gets are from the Romster.

Tell me again what a great ground game Zero has in OH.

PS A Stevie Wonder GOTV concert for Choom in Cleveland was so miserably organized, most of the people there only found out about it walking past.

rhhardin said...

I'm only microtargeted by Amazon, which seems confused in a microtargeted sort of way.

rcommal said...

We've been getting calls from both camps on landlines and cell phones--including the business line, which didn't used to en, and our son's cell. We're gonna feel SO unpopular when it's all over, LOL!!

rcommal said...

en=happen. Huh?

commoncents said...

WOW! Huge Romney/Ryan Rally in West Chester, Ohio

http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com/2012/11/video-paul-ryan-mitt-romney-rock-house.html

alan markus said...

You'd be amazed what information is available, for free or for sale.

As per the linked article:

The cost of the entire state database is $12,500. Four requesters have been willing to pay that since Sept. 1, Magney said: Catalist (a progressive voter database organization), the Democratic National Committee, and data analysis firm Aristotle - all based in Washington, D.C. The last requester was Colorado-based Magellan Strategies, a firm that specializes in "micro-targeting" for Republican parties and candidates.

harrogate said...

Michael K,

I honestly do not know why they would be soliciting more money at this point, from anyone. With the election Tuesday it seems useless to be fundraising.

Anonymous said...

I voted for Romney. Why? One word: Benghazi.

" You keep lyin' when you oughta be truthin' "

(from Nancy Sinatra, These Boots Are Made for Walkin', an apparent reference to Obama's cowardly acts to not help the US Ambassador in Libya)

alan markus said...

A Stevie Wonder GOTV concert for Choom in Cleveland was so miserably organized, most of the people there only found out about it walking past.

One of my favorite parts of the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Tribute (October 16, 1992)is Stevie Wonder's introduction to "Blowing In the Wind" as he talks about the song's relevance to the 60's (Civil Rights, Viet Nam War); 70's (Watergate); 80's (Apartheid in Africa) and for the 90's he talks about the importance of who to vote for. Doesn't say who, but obviously implying Bill Clinton. (Vote for the one who commits to unity for all people, who commits to open his heart, etc. FYI, I didn't vote for Clinton) Reminds me of lots of things as I lived through those decades.

Stevie Wonder - Blowin' in the Wind Bob Dylan - The 30th Anniversary

Bob Ellison said...

Obama is an intelligent, educated, clever person. There must be reasons to vote for him. What are these reasons?

garage mahal said...

Dueling rallies in WIsconsin today.

Green Bay got Ann Coulter.

Milwaukee got Kerry Perry

alan markus said...

Milwaukee got Kerry Perry

I think you meant Katy Perry.

I don't think I could stomach seeing Ann Coulter - I still like her writings, but she has turned into an old crone. That long blonde hair just doesn't work at her age.

garage mahal said...

Katy Perry, yes. Musta been a little distracted.

Anonymous said...

I like my woman strong and independent. When I see Obama women, I will so sad. Only a GOP woman could satisfy me. Of course, I voted for Romney at 4 PM on Friday last. Well, what are you waiting for. Vote for the man who will never leave a US Ambassdor behind as Obama has done in Libya.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww

Freeman Hunt said...

Amazon just started a service where the site will analyze the likes of your Facebook friends and provide gift suggestions. My mother-in-law's birthday is coming up, so I ran it on her profile.

It said she'd like to receive The Book of Mormon.

While I can't claim to have empirically tested that suggestion, I have my doubts.

Freeman Hunt said...

We're one of the only houses on the street with any political yard signs, and our only sign is Romney/Ryan.

The Mormon missionaries who came by yesterday knocked and knocked. I think they were especially disappointed when I didn't answer.

Paddy O said...

Freeman, that's interesting about Amazon. I wonder if there are paid sponsors.

ndspinelli said...

My take as an idependent is Obama folks are shitting their pants and Romney folks make be gloating a bit prematurely. Then there are the clueless Obama folks who are gloating..God bless them.

ndspinelli said...

Freeman, Maybe it's the Book of Mormon play script?

harrogate said...

Extracted from entry 11/3/2012 from "The Chronicles of Mitt":

"It is difficult to say whether or not I will win this election. I have tried my best to state that my policies would indeed help commoners, and have even on occasion hypothesized as to what those policies might be. I have made fun of the ocean, and have praised many foodstuffs. I am the right height. And I have brought together all the wealth units in this great nation of ours, who are unanimous in their opinions that they each ought to pay substantially less taxes, and that the businesses they own or own large amounts of stock in should also pay substantially less taxes, and that I, personally, should pay less in taxes."

garage mahal said...

My take as an idependent is Obama folks are shitting their pants and Romney folks make be gloating a bit prematurely.

I just wonder what data Romney folks could possibly be looking at that would make them want to gloat? Obama led in 19 battleground state polls today. Romney led in one.

Anonymous said...

The best ad bar none on the Internet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ShdiYQ1EHvA

BaltoHvar said...

I did not realize this, but here in Cali I sent in my Absentee Ballot 10 - 14 days ago, and the call volume has nearly stopped from a peak of 10 a day just days before that.

I.LOVE.THIS.BLOG!

bagoh20 said...

"Obama led in 19 battleground state polls today. Romney led in one."

I believe you, but I'd take a screenshot of that data to prove it wasn't your fault you got suckered.

garage mahal said...


I believe you, but I'd take a screenshot of that data to prove it wasn't your fault you got suckered


Not sure how one can get "suckered" reading a poll result. But here is the list.

David said...

Some pollsters are going to have to shave mustaches on live TV.

But which ones?

No one knows.

edutcher said...

Get a life, garage.

Koskidz, A-Reuters, and MSLSD impress nobody.

Especially on Ned Silver's dime.

bagoh20 said...

"Not sure how one can get "suckered" reading a poll result. "

Well then this will be a very instructive week for you.

Shanna said...

We're one of the only houses on the street with any political yard signs, and our only sign is Romney/Ryan.

Really? I've seen a ton of local election signs and only a handful of Romney/Ryan and Obama.

I got a somewhat clever political mailing that is some congressperson (looking him up, he is a state congressperson) who spent a whopping 25k traveling on the government dime. The ads look like postcards and say 'Greetings from BOSTON' and 'Greetings from Philadelphia' (i got two different ones) and then talk about how he spent 4k in Philly and took a private plane.

They are mailed out of Rogers, which made me think I'm not even in this guys district, but looking him up I guess I actually am? The the Rogers thing threw me off though.

Anonymous said...

I voted for Romney. Why? One word: Benghazi.

" You keep lyin' when you oughta be truthin' "

(from Nancy Sinatra, These Boots Are Made for Walkin', an apparent reference to Obama's cowardly acts to not help the US Ambassador and other Americans in Libya)

Shanna said...

Wow, that Nate Silver headline garage linked to is priceless:

Nov. 2: For Romney to Win, State Polls Must Be Statistically Biased

Hee!

yashu said...

I just wonder what data Romney folks could possibly be looking at that would make them want to gloat?

Among other things, because the very best-- very best-- polls for Obama involve internals like this (to quote @numbersmuncher):

Marist Ohio poll w/ O+6 is a D+9 poll. 2008 was D+5, 2004 was R+5. Marist has Dems almost doubling 2008 turnout advantage.

And then there are people like Michael Barone-- no hack-- predicting a Romney victory. You take Nate Silver's word, fair enough; I'll take Barone over Silver.

Besides all the polls, unreliable & uncertain & conflicting & hermeneutically ambiguous augurs as they are (though enough of the ones I trust most favor Romney that I have considerable hope), there are anecdotal/ gut/ evidence-of-your-own-eyes things when it comes to gauging enthusiasm. Like Romney's Red Rocks rally, or yesterday's Ohio rally before an audience of 30,000. And Obama Ohio rallies of between 2,000-4,000 people. And today's Cleveland Obama rally (including performances by the great Stevie Wonder) that attracted 200-something people.

Anyway, I'm with neo-neocon; I'm optimistic but I don't take anything for granted, I'm anxious and will remain so until it's over.

Not because I care about my team "winning" but because I'm very concerned about the future of the USA.

I do grant the possibility that Obama may win. I think Romney has at least a 50% chance of winning-- but I have no certainty. Have you ever, garage, even once, at any time, even now, granted the possibility that Romney might win? Seems to me you're the one who's always scoffed-- and insisted again and again and again-- that such a scenario is inconceivable, ridiculous, laughable, impossible.

Whoever wins, I think that by itself says a lot about who's in denial of reality.

Dante said...

If you want to learn more about the micro-targeting, you can read about it here.

One of the comments is there are in the thousands of metrics political campaigns use to target you, the same ones that advertisers use. Judging by the lack of political campaigning on the web, it's merely going to get worse and worse.

garage mahal said...

Well then this will be a very instructive week for you.

If Romney wins, I promise to never comment here ever again. If Obama wins, well, I'm afraid it's going to be round the clock schadenfreude smack talk.

Freeman Hunt said...

Really? I've seen a ton of local election signs and only a handful of Romney/Ryan and Obama.

We're a Republican stronghold, not an area in play, and so if you want a Romney/Ryan sign here, you have to buy it. Thus, there aren't a lot of them.

People in our neighborhood don't seem to do political signs. There's us, another conservative guy way down the street, and a liberal guy a few houses down who usually puts out signs but didn't this year. He was a Hillary supporter in 2008.

Anonymous said...

I am really worried about these things:

- NPR
- NYT editorial page and op-ed
- Nate Silver
- MSNBC
- Politico.com

These people will sell their soul for Obama to be re-elected.

I do not know how to fight them.

All I can do is vote: I have done so, the friday last at 4pm in Fairfax, VA.

Why? One word: Benghazi.

" You keep lyin' when you oughta be truthin' "

(from Nancy Sinatra, These Boots Are Made for Walkin', an apparent reference to Obama's cowardly acts to not help the US Ambassador and other Americans in Libya)

Freeman Hunt said...

If Romney wins, I promise to never comment here ever again.

What?! Don't do that.

(There's hardly anyone here we could watch cry already.)

Something you posted the other day made me laugh out loud, but now I can't remember what it was. It was funny though. Don't leave.

Dante said...

If Romney wins, I promise to never comment here ever again. If Obama wins, well, I'm afraid it's going to be round the clock schadenfreude smack talk.

Why not stick your money where your mouth is and buy some intrade shares? Same for anyone who knows who is going to win.

I don't think anyone knows, though if there is bias in the polls, I would expect it from the left leaning press.

I tend to follow Rasmussen, and he has a pretty good track record. He shows the race as tied up in Ohio and Wisconsin. But having read the guesses that have to go into the estimates, I think it's anybodies guess.

Shanna said...

We're a Republican stronghold, not an area in play

True. Arkansas will go Romney by quite a lot (although central arkansas is much more liberal than your area).

A good 70% of the signs I see are for the local mayor's race. We had the same mayor for 20 years or so and he's finally retired, so this is a weird year.

Anonymous said...

If you have not voted, please at least call people or help others to vote early. THIS IS IMPORTANT.

We need many places - PA, VA, FL, OH, and WI.

We need to put a real American original in the White House. We have a faker there currently. Let's focus on getting rid of him on Tuesday.

Else, we (esp. I) will be crying...

Freeman Hunt said...

Someone told me about that Lawrence O'Donnell clip where he challenges Romney's son to a fight. I was all, "Oh, yeah okay." I am so sure. Wonder what out of context thing this person is talking about.

Then someone made me watch it. Holy cow! I can't believe that an adult really did that. MSNBC is so raw and wild all the time. They yell, they cry, they run hilariously slanted segments. There could be a DVD collection called Preposterous Things Aired on MSNBC

Automatic_Wing said...

garage, you're not allowed to leave, you have to keep commenting here until Walker gets frogmarched to jail for his secret routers.

Anonymous said...

Garage, if Obama wins, it's going to get nasty here, more nasty than the average daily nastiness. Mean, brutal nasty.

Anonymous said...

Meth's head will explode.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
garage mahal said...

Have you ever, garage, even once, at any time, even now, granted the possibility that Romney might win?

Of course I have. In fact it wasn't too long ago that I thought it might be Romney's race to lose. I think Romney can still win, but incumbents are just really hard to beat to start with.

Paco Wové said...

"If Romney wins, I promise to never comment here ever again"

So, you're going to run away squealing and hide like a little cowardly baby? Gosh, I never would have thought it.

Anonymous said...

This is what I am imagining.

Someone from NYT higher-ups or liberal reporters in WashDC echo-chamber doing:

Calling Nate Silver on his phone:

Q: Nate, baby, what is the score? Tell me. What will be the EC voters for Obama.
NS: I know what you want. Obama over 300+.
Q: Thanks-Nate!

A few minutes go by: Another call from someone from one of the TV channels:

Q: Nate, baby, we are worried. What's the score?
NS: I know what you want. Obama over 300+

The calls keep coming every few minutes. From Chicago HQ, DailyKos, Daily-Beast, Huff-Post.

Soon, Nate gets a call from POTUS:

BHO: Nate, if we win this Mother-F***er thing, you will have a personal office in the WH. You can do anything. Your polls, gets us money, and good coverage from our friends. Every-one is happy that things are just the way we want. So, keep doing this for me.
NS: Mr. President, I am at your service.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Ha ha, Katy Perry. A lightly talented airhead with big tits--woo hoo! That's some heavy hitting, Garage! She's sure to win over late deciders!

Unknown said...

Well, it must be said the President Hope-Unifier has sewn up the Vengeance voters.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/03/mark-sanford-obama-revenge-comment_n_2069255.html

I think I'll vote for the guy who can fix the economy and not threaten my Constitutional liberties.

Unknown said...

Well, it must be said the President Hope-Unifier has sewn up the Vengeance voters.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/03/mark-sanford-obama-revenge-comment_n_2069255.html

I think I'll vote for the guy who can fix the economy and not threaten my Constitutional liberties.

garage mahal said...

So, you're going to run away squealing and hide like a little cowardly baby?

Our model predicts only a 19.7% chance of that happening.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, that Bronco Bama wanted to take your guns, remember?!

dcm said...

d

Matt Harris said...

I have been getting robocalls for Obama for America, urging to me to vote early in Florida.

I live in Southern California. Never even been to Florida.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Nate Silver is going to be the 2012 biggest looser.

Anonymous said...

LEM - thanks, but my gut tells me differently.

Never under-estimate the Obama lovers in the media. Politico has a story about Christie as VP this weekend.

You have NO IDEA, no idea at all, what will happen tomorrow and Mon night.

It is going to be brutal. Expect a Political SANDY.

Better way to prepare: Vote early, get these in the bank for FL, VA, OH, WI, and PA.

We need to put an American in the WH.

garage mahal said...

Katy Perry. A lightly talented airhead with big tits--woo hoo! That's some heavy hitting

Maybe, but, um, DAYUM.

Anonymous said...

This woman is worried about Big Brother?

Why is she a Democrat then?

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Katy Perry is a much bigger draw than Sandra Fluke, who has been wowing them by the 10's in supermarket parking lots.

wyo sis said...

Freeman
I just watched the O'Donnell segment you mentioned.

These people are nuts!

yashu said...

If Romney wins, I promise to never comment here ever again.

That's silly; I hope you don't mean that. I've gathered from some sporadic comments that you're actually not such a big Obama fan-- so why so invested in his victory? Does the prospect of Mitt Romney as POTUS inspire that much hate/ dread/ revulsion? I don't get why that should be so.

If Obama wins, well, I'm afraid it's going to be round the clock schadenfreude smack talk.

Ah, so it's about the Schadenfreude (and avoidance of the other side's Schadenfreude) for you. Well, if Romney wins, I promise-- of course I can only speak for myself here-- I won't engage in Schadenfreude. (Exception: toward certain members of the MSM.) If/when the election is called for Romney, I'll be extremely happy and relieved, ecstatic even; but it won't be because others-- e.g. you and other Obama supporters here-- will be unhappy or miserable.

I genuinely believe that if Romney wins, you and all the other Obama supporters here will actually be better off (maybe not in all ways, but in fundamental ways) than if Obama wins. I genuinely believe a Romney victory/ presidency (as opposed to an Obama second term) will be to your great benefit (or much lesser detriment) too, as Americans. Feel free to disagree with my belief; but don't doubt that I hold it sincerely.

BaltoHvar said...

Not to dog pile on our most lovable Mr. Mahal, but in my lifetime there have been 11 Presidents.

5 technically did not finish or were not elected to a second term. Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush.

"but incumbents are just really hard to beat to start with." Ummm... not so much. it is almost 50/50 - Sorry -

Anonymous said...

yashu, you're a better person than I am.

Of course you realize that if Obama wins, not one liberal here will grant you the same consideration.

Paco Wové said...

"yashu, you're a better person than I am"

I went back and read all of GM's comment -- I don't usually bother to read his unless somebody else quotes them, and in this case I just read enough to see who made the comment about slinking away like a coward if Romney won -- and on reading the whole thing, he's just promising to be a dick no matter what happens, so no change from current standard procedure.

I Callahan said...

Maybe, but, um, DAYUM.

OK, so we do agree on something...

:)

yashu said...

Of course you realize that if Obama wins, not one liberal here will grant you the same consideration.

Oh, if Obama wins, it's going to hurt, and I know the schadenfreudig gloating is going to be insufferable (though honestly the gloating will be the least of my worries). I'm likely to withdraw from the political blogosphere and do my best to immerse myself in things completely non-political, for at least a while.

I think I mentioned this before, but I'm hoping that Althouse will have at least one non-political (or maybe meta-political) post at hand on election night. Say, on Bob Dylan. So that those of us, on one side or the other, who are disappointed and depressed and seek some online refuge (from the terrible news and the Schadenfreude), might find it there.

I may very well keep away from the TV and computer on election night, get somewhat intoxicated, and wait to hear the news from someone else. Then I'll see whether I feel like joining in the conversation to celebrate!!! yay!!!, or commiserate, or just feel like pulling the covers up over my head for a while.

Right now I'm feeling very optimistic. But I'm still a nervous nellie.

yashu said...

PS If Obama wins, many Democrats will be very excited to have beaten the evil Republicans.

But I honestly don't think many of them will be very excited to have another 4 years of Obama. They'll be stuck with a terrible POTUS (and his scandals, which aren't going to go away), along with the rest of us.

In other words, pretty much all they'll have to celebrate is the Schadenfreude. Whereas Schadenfreude is, I think, the least of reasons Romney supporters will be celebrating a Romney win.

(With the exception of Schadenfreude for the MSM Obama-cheerleading squad. That's pretty high up there in my reasons to celebrate.)

garage mahal said...

and in this case I just read enough to see who made the comment about slinking away like a coward if Romney won

There was no talk of slinky away out of cowardice. Oh no. I pushed all my chips to the middle of the table. I slapped my cock out.

Actually I was just trolling bagoh hoping he would take the bait. But I think he likes commenting here too much.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a visual! ;)

Kelly said...

I get a lot of calls from Freedom Works and one today from Americans for strong Leadership. The girl was nervous while reading from her script, she sounded African American and she urged me to vote for Romney. The call came from Anderson, IN where there is a Christian college.

Balfegor said...

I got the same sort of mailing from the democratic party when I received my absentee ballot. I think they came on the same day in fact.

wyo sis said...

Yashu you have a point. If Obama wins I'll be spending my "spare" time figuring out how to cope with the inevitable results.
The financial consequences of living in a socialist nationalized healthcare European third world economy will occupy a lot more of everyone's time.

Kirk Parker said...

Bagoh, Michael,

Those FB ads per se aren't so troubling, it's when I put it together with that other FB ad--"Do You Know Anyone Can Look Up Your Arrest Record Online?????"--that I start worrying that maybe those ladies in the ads are underage or something...



Inga,

" Bronco Bama wanted to take your guns, remember?!"

He said so himself. How do I tell which of his public pronouncements are lies?

Rusty said...

garage mahal said...
and in this case I just read enough to see who made the comment about slinking away like a coward if Romney won

There was no talk of slinky away out of cowardice. Oh no. I pushed all my chips to the middle of the table. I slapped my cock out.


Yeah. About that. You're going to have to come up with something more to even the pot.