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Clearly, Spamming Online Polls Doesn’t Translate To Real Victories
January 17th, 2008 at 12:45pm Matt Margolis
I’ve had my fair share of experience with Ron Paul’s determined supporters. It was clear many many months ago that Pauliacs (perhaps even Ron Paul’s campaign itself) had the strategy of giving the appearance of huge internet/grassroots support for his campaign by flooding online polls with votes and spamming. In regards to their coordinate spamming efforts, I asked back in May, “[W]hat good are phony results? Isn’t it more valuable to see what the true temperature of the American people or the conservative blogosphere is? Wouldn’t Paul supporters rather know a more accurate reflection of Paul’s support and use the data from the [GOP Bloggers] straw poll to assess how best to increase that support?”
Perhaps they should have listened to my advice… Between Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan, Ron Paul hasn’t won a single caucus or primary. I thought myself he’d do better in New Hampshire than he actually did, but clearly the strategy of giving a false impression of Paul’s online support hasn’t made him a contender when it comes to his performance in an actual election.
Pauliacs need to learn that real voters will determine this election… not phony online spammers.
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Republicans
15 Comments
1. Joe | January 17th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
This election has demonstrated more then anything else how the values of Christ and those of the consevative movement are seperate. I see more and more Christians wanting to stay home and avoid bringing more dishonor to the name of our savior.
2. sleepygene | January 17th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I don’t know about spamming but didn’t paul pull in like 20 mildo last quarter more than any other republican during that time? Also, hasn’t he beaten Mayor 911 in the last two contests? There may be some paulestinians that know their way around the internets but there is no denying he does have a base a of support that most republicans too easily dismiss.
3. Nols | January 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
First let me begin by saying I am a Ron Paul supporter. I have not participated in a single online or telephone poll. Ron may have a lot of crazy supporters but no more than any other candidate. I have been a Republican all my life, but I have recently been so fed up with my government that I see Ron as the only real change. Not lip service change like Hillary or Obama are spewing out on a daily basis, but honest to God beliefs in the rights the Constitution gives us as Americans. However, I do not agree with pulling out of Iraq, I see that as a dangerous move, and I believe that whomever gets the DFL nod will win the election in November thus pulling them out anyway, knowing this I would much rather have a true conservative in the White house after that mistake than a Tax and Spend liberal.
Call me nuts, call me a loon, I don’t care. I vote with my heart first, then my wallet, and both are telling me that Ron Paul is my guy.
4. sleepygene | January 17th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Nols-
Do you have problem with some of the racists literature that was distributed on Ron Paul’s pamphlet through out the late 80’s and 90’s? Paul didn’t write the stuff but it was his pamphlet. Your thoughts?
5. Nols | January 17th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I am glad you stated that Dr. Paul didn’t write that junk. He did however take responsibility and apologized for the words. But rest assured nothing like that would ever come from him.
This is really a non-issue. So why should it bother me?
6. Nols | January 17th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Sleepygene
BTW, is your name a nod to the Monkees or something else. The timing just struck me because I just finish an argument with with a 21 year old who was rehashing the whole “The Monkees never even played their own instuments crap”
I just wish some network would start replaying their TV show again, that was some good stuff.
7. sleepygene | January 17th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Nol-
it is a tip of the cap to the Monkees, and yes I would like to see reruns of that show than the crapola that is on tv now.
8. Just Another Taxpayer | January 17th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Mr. Margolis,
Why are you so afraid of Ron Paul? Is there nothing else to discuss? Why does the Bush economy, according to Fed Chief Bernake, need a stimulus package? Are things not all well and good in the Bush economy?
Two million foreclosures and counting.
9. Bob Waters | January 17th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Maybe the concern is that Ron Paul is so naive about foreign policy and so out of touch with political reality that his election would constitute a threat to national security.
Or it might be that candidates supported in large numbers by neo-Nazis, neo-Confederates, KKKers, “truthers,” conspiracy theorists, and other
such people tend, with some reason, to be a little scary to many people possessed of all their marbles.
10. Tractatus | January 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Ron Paul hasn’t won a single caucus or primary.
Neither has Fred “Mr. Conservative” Thompson.
11. Ryan | January 17th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Yes, but Fred Thompson could conceivably win one minus having all of the other candidates die in a freak accident. Paul couldn’t. His ROOF for support in any primary is liable to be ten percent - and is likely to drop soon as wqe start getting into the states where the democrats and crossover independants aren’t spamming the vote - and however much you want to deny it, yopu just have to look at the exit poll results to see what class of people are the paul voters in teh primary.
12. Web Smith | January 18th, 2008 at 12:00 am
What you’re missing is that Ron’s online support is not co-ordinated. It’s spontaneous. Ron Paul is not running a campaign as much as he is allowing a movement to use his name. He is only a representative.
He allowed a newsletter to use his name to continue a cause only to have it muddied by a few people who moved in to give their anti-social views credibility.
It’s early yet and momentum is increasing. What appears to be a lack of interest is a blackout in the media. Don’t be fooled. The Paulites expected this.
13. Rana Quijotesca | January 18th, 2008 at 8:48 am
For all of Ron Paul’s talk of “liberties,” he certainly doesn’t care if the states restrict them… For all of his talk about “constitutionalism” he certainly forgets the 9th Amendment…
14. William Teach | January 18th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Perhaps not coordinated by the Ron Paul campaign, but, if you spend any time at any of the Paul support sites, you will see calls to spam polls, cut and paste talking points, and money bomb and email blasts. Reminds me more of what is done at the Democratic Underground than anything else.
If Paul was so lax in monitoring said newsletter that was using his name, then he doesn’t have what it takes to be dog catcher, much less President.
“Blackout in the media.” ROTFLOL!!!!! Yet another conspiracy. Why is it that so many Paul supporters sound more like barking moonbats then Conservatives?
15. Tractatus | January 18th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Yes, but Fred Thompson could conceivably win one minus having all of the other candidates die in a freak accident. Paul couldn’t.
Fred Thompson is just barely ahead of Paul. Paul is even beating the Fox News candidate (and onetime favorite, remember that?) Rudy Giuliani. He also gets more money from the military than any other GOPer…gee, I wonder why that could be….
I know you guys want to merely dismiss Ron Paul and pretend he doesn’t exist, but he does, and he’s more popular than you want to admit. But I think it’s great how much he pisses you guys off–it’s entertaining.