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Posted by on Feb 9, 2016 in Blog, Politics | 25 comments

We Await an Official Statement from the Hillary Clinton Campaign

 

push-polling

 

It’s been four days since I wrote about my first-hand experience with a telephone “pollster” asking me several loaded questions about the two leading Democratic presidential candidates.

That article went viral and got 600,00 hits.  I was even quoted in The Daily Kos.

I am still waiting for an explaination.

 

READ MORE HERE:  “I Just Got Push-Polled by Hillary Clinton’s Nevada Campaign”

Much criticism has been leveled at me for the way I handled the telephone call.  The “comments” section here at this website is loaded with dirty names and derogatory remarks.  For the sake of peace and harmony, let’s just say that indeed — I am a jerk.  Feel free to select your own favorite expletive.  

But my likability factor (or lack thereof) and abrasive personality doesn’t alter some legitimate suspicion that the Hillary Clinton campaign may be engaging in the reprehensible practice of “push polling,” which are tactics clearly intended to slander Bernie Sanders, who is now surging in national polls and poses a serious threat to Sec. Clinton’s prospects of winning the Democratic nomination.  My glaring lack of refinement aside, nothing alters the reality that last Friday evening — yes — I did receive a telephone call at my home from someone who was reading a carefully-worded script.  That person had obvious intentions to raise questions about Sen. Sanders while bolstering the positives of Sec. Clinton.  In other words, this was anything but an unbiased “pollster.”

Moreover, this was not an isolated incident.  Based on (1) several comments at the site, (2) e-mails I received, (3) comments on other political websites, and (4) many posts on both Facebook and Twitter during the previous four days, other Democratic voters too have received similar phone calls — not just here in Nevada, but other states, as well.  Add what’s been happening this past week to information that was widely reported in mainstream media back in 2008, that Hillary Clinton’s previous campaign organization had engaged in similar practices at least once before, and there’s mounting justification for collective concern.  Just Google Clinton’s push-polling tactics in the 2008 presidential race, which only adds to the legitimacy of suspicion we have now.

Here’s a devastating Tweet yesterday from former Obama campaign chief strategist David Axelrod.  I’m not sure if he’s referring to “push polling” — at least in part — but the Tweet only adds to mounting concerns about the way Clinton is running her presidential campaign:


Let’s be clear:  

If Hillary Clinton’s campaign had nothing whatsoever to do with the phone call I (and others) received this past week, then now it’s the time to clear things up with an official statement of denial and/or explanation.

Whether the Clinton campaign will admit this or not, what’s happened has become a national news story.  Just this morning, a caller on C-SPAN raised the issue, referencing reports of “push polling in Nevada.”

WATCH THE C-SPAN CLIP HERE

Admittedly, my website isn’t The Washington Post, or The New York Times, or The Wall Street Journal.  That said, my personal account of the telephone call has now received approximately 350,000 page views, which makes this an issue worth addressing.  Fortunately, thanks to many other concerned voters, mostly progressive activists, suspicions have spread throughout social media outlets and must now be explained by someone from Hillary Clinton’s official campaign.  Ignoring these concerns won’t make them go away.  If history proves anything, it’s that things usually get worse when transparency is rejected.  Silence can be deafening.  It often sends the opposite message and ultimately becomes self-defeating.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign must step forward as soon as possible and set the record straight with an official statement as to whether or not she’s engaging in push polling or similar tactics designed to mislead voters and slander the opposing candidate.  If this wasn’t part of her campaign and/or was done without the organization’s knowledge, then just say so.  I’m sure other progressive media outlets would like some answers.  I will go so far as to label this issue as “critical,” particularly for the candidate who still might become our Democratic nominee for president who will be seeking our support later on, despite lingering concerns of other moral and ethical failures, whether baseless or not.  Once and for all, Sec. Clinton needs to put this to rest.

This isn’t an ultimatum.  It’s a respectful request.  I believe most Democratic voters do want a fair primary campaign and election that’s decided upon the candidates debating serious issues, not misrepresenting themselves and engaging in dubious political practices.  If one of the candidates is violating unwritten rules and ethics of engagement, we will take that into consideration when we cast our votes.

Accordingly, I am forwarding this link to the Hillary Clinton campaign here in Nevada, her national campaign headquarters in Brooklyn Heights, NY, and the Nevada State Democratic Party.  We’d like some answers.

We respectfully wait for an official response.

FOLLOW UP:  It’s been ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN 12 13 14 15 days since this request, and Hillary Clinton’s campaign has yet to confirm or deny any connection to negative “push polling.”  [to be updated daily until we get a statement]

UPDATE:  Here’s a story from ABC with a recording of a nearly identical pro-Clinton” phone call:  CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO

25 Comments

  1. I’m fine with the way you handled it on the phone. I would have been far more condescending, and passive agressively made the caller feel like a complete idiot.

  2. I do wonder how campaigns actually run, business-wise. By that, I mean what types of controls they have so that they don’t do dumb shit like this, or, like what happened to my father-in-law. He received some personalized campaign literature (donation requests, too) from HRC, and he’s about as Democratic as I am a rhinoceros. How’d he ever get on HER list?

    • HRC prob got his name on a list when the DNC had that computer error. They only went after Sanders…but they did not say if the HRC folks were accessing lists of his…

      • Many Bernie supporters *suddenly* received “support HRC” emails back in Oct w/o Ever reaching out to her campaign – only found out about 1st DNC database issue when 2nd happened & DNC cut Sanders off from his OWN data…

  3. I would like to see disclosure of who is paying for a poll at the beginning of a call, just as I would like to see disclosure of who is paying for an advertisement… and not just a phrase like “concerned citizens”. I mean something you can type into a Web browser and start seeing names of companies and individuals.

    As for expecting candidates to disavow actions taken on their behalf… I’d like to, but if the candidate doesn’t judge that it is doing more harm than good, they aren’t going to do it.

    • We can get such laws in place. Just like ads on TV must say if a candidate endorsed it or who funded it, a push poll should have to fess up at the get go.

  4. She’s a bitch & should be in jail not to mention 4 americans dead in benghazi!

  5. What, you haven’t heard back from a political campaign about some tactics you object to? Oh my dear Lord! In the mean time, I’m waiting to hear back from Dick Cheney about my accusation that he’s a war criminal, from the executives of the Boyd gaming corporation as to why they think it’s appropriate to bar customers for playing video poker well, and from the Pepsi company as to why they discontinued their Slice product line in the year 2000. I’ll be sure to keep you updated.

    • NPC = Non-Playable Character

    • Write an article that gets half a million views and you just might get a response.

  6. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I was already a Bernie supporter, but this pretty much solidifies my decision all the more. This deceit must end, not only in Washington, but in American business as well. The only way to get that done is to constantly and relentlessly expose every single instance of it. I’d say it’s even past time for some boycotts related to these sorts of things in the business world. This must end. It’s despicable.

  7. I never give these pollsters a chance – I just hang up on them….

  8. I had been wondering about the lack of current Nevada polling data–I haven’t seen a new poll since December. This makes me wonder how many people have been push-polled in the past month.

    I will be put out with the Clinton campaign if it turns out this was either done by them or paid for by them, or done by one of the campaign’s major backers like certain Super PACs. I am a Sanders supporter but I had not thought that Hillary Clinton was heading into the dark side of primary politics.

  9. Thanks for the education. I had a similar incident after the Portland Rally of 28,000
    That followed the Seattle Rally where The Black Lives Matter Group interupted the gathering.
    I got a polling call that made me angry and hang up as it was biased and directed at Bernie negatively. I did not know this practice exsisted. Could it have started in August after Bernie started to get traction. If so it is part of the plan. Shame

  10. Of course it was Clinton, these people lack any integrity or character.

    Any left leaning American that supports the disgusting right wing Hillary Clinton is as despicable as the Clintons,
    and ignorant as hell.

  11. Push polling is standard. Your options are:
    1. Hang up, you don’t owe them or anyone your time.
    2. Insult the caller to waste his time, he won’t hang up because he’s paid not to.
    3. Go on the internet and complain.

    Once I got a push poll that was read so badly that I had to help the senior-in-high-school with the tough words that she couldn’t read or pronounce. It was very sad.

  12. Just one comment honestly, I mean everyone honestly, are you surprised? Okay now, I love how people were outraged at YOU, that is the tradmark of the HRC supporter, ” oh nothing to see here move along”, “Gasp, how dare you”. Give me a fucking break.

  13. Just keep them on the line for a really long time. That will prevent them from getting to as many people.

  14. Which people had a problem with the way you handled the call? When somebody calls my home trying to sell me a sack of shit, I take offense at having my time and personal space violated! Actually, you’ve done people a service by finding out as much as you good about the caller for the sake of everyone to know what dirty games are going on. Thanks for shining a light on this despicable practice!

  15. Which people had a problem with the way you handled the call? When somebody calls my home trying to sell me a sack of shit, I take offense at having my time and personal space violated! Actually, you’ve done people a service by finding out as much as you could about the caller for the sake of everyone to know what dirty games are going on. Thanks for shining a light on this despicable practice!

  16. Keep them on as long as possible so they call fewer unsuspecting voters. I would drag it out for 20 minutes. This push polling is going to help Hillary because most in the US have been so dumbed down. If there is an artist somewhere out there, there should be a cartoon aligning this up with Hillary. Everything she has said, yet the corporate media supports her, contains half truths or lies. Kissinger is her protege..

  17. All I can say is that I phonebanked for Clinton through the official channels, and absolutely nothing like that is in our scripts. The calls into new states are having us say we understand the person is a Hillary supporter (to avoid seeming like we’re polling and also avoid the awkwardness in the NH script — here’s a recollection of a call to a NH Sanders supporer in my list)

    (“Hi, this is Moriah with Hillary for New Hampshire, actually calling you from home here in Arkansas. Have you decided who you will be voting for in the Primary?”

    “I have.” (awkward)

    “Would it be terribly nosy if I asked who you were supporting? I know you’re getting tons of calls…”

    “You have no idea. I’m supporting Bernie.”

    “Isn’t it wonderful we have two great candidates? Thanks for your time, have a great night!”

    —–

    The change right now in the official script is:

    “I’m Moriah, a volunteer for Hillary of ____, actually calling you from home here in Arkansas. I understand you may be a Hillary supporter, is that correct?”

    Then if they are, we direct them to polling places, rallies, etc.

    If they are undecided, we are instructed in virtual trainings to use positive language to show Hillary’s strengths and particularly to say why *we’re* voting for her, then offer them information at the website.

    If they say they’re supporting Sanders (or “Uh, no, not supporting Hillary” and it’s not a Republican we’re talking to, we’re supposed to say something positive and move on to the next call. The idea is to get people information about where to vote.

    ——

    Now, remember that it wasn’t Bernie that ran the “Hillary’s Bull Market” ad, nor Hillary that ran the “Too liberal for Iowa” ad. Both were written by Republicans, specifically PACs associated with and with the same donors as Karl Rove’s network of SuperPACs.

    So if someone is asking about ways to attack Sanders, remember, it may be the REAL opposition — the GOP.

  18. You should update your main article with the link to the audio recording. Also try to get it more circulated, if possible. It seems to be getting far less attention than it deserves. Well done, regardless.

  19. I got the support Hillary email ages ago. I responded by telling them to keep their crap that I wouldn’t vote for her if she was the only one running! Haven’t heard a word from them since!

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