GOP, McCain Appear To Dominate Robocall War

While Barack Obama may be drowning out his opposition on the airwaves, spending copious amounts of cash on television advertisements in key markets, evidence suggests that John McCain is well ahead in one form of political outreach.

There have been three times as many robocalls placed on behalf of McCain's candidacy as those placed on behalf of Obama, as reported to the National Political Do Not Contact Registry.

The outlets responsible for the 12 documented McCain-favorable calls include the RNC, the McCain campaign itself, and third party organizations. Their work, not surprisingly, is being done across a wide swath of swing states: Michigan, North Carolina, Minnesota, Missouri, Colorado, Wisconsin, Virginia and New Mexico.

On Thursday, Talking Points Memo posted one such RNC/McCain campaign call being made in Virginia, in which recipients are told that "Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats aren't who you think they are... They say they want to keep us safe, but Barack Obama said the threat we face now from terrorism is nowhere near as dire as it was in the end of the Cold War. And Congressional Democrats now want to give civil rights to terrorists."

Obama, by contrast, has had four documented robocalls made on his behalf, but only in two states: Kansas (kind of random) and Missouri.

The findings are a reflection of the financial straits in which the GOP finds itself. Robocalls, as Shaun Dakin, the CEO of the National Political Do Not Contact Registry describes it, "are the tool of the underfinanced campaign and the underdog."

They also tend to be politically ineffective, to the extent that recipients don't always pay attention, don't actually receive the call, or are turned off by the incendiary tones or messages. Occasionally, campaigns will run robocalls that seem to be coming from the opposition because they know voters hate being bothered and will blame the perceived caller.

But this could very well be the playing field that the McCain campaign and RNC have to deal with. And as the campaign winds down, it would not be terribly surprising to see the robocall disparity between Democrats and the GOP groww wide.

If you receive a call yourself, let us know.

Comments

[loax]

Notice how the robocalls from the Republicans is full of making people live in fear?

[Bruupo]

"To have your problems solved with a scalpel...­please press 1"

"To have your problems solved with a hatchet...­please press 2"

-beep-

"Congratul­ations...y­ou have chosen...'­hatchet, and then the scalpel'..­.Senator__­'John McCain'___will arrive at your home shortly...­thank you!"

[Bruupo]

http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/d/L/mccain_shining.jpg

[Opt1musPr1me]

At this point in the game if there is anyone out there still asking "WHO IS BARACK OBAMA" then they are just plain ignorant and don't want to know who Obama is. The man has been running for office now for almost 2 years and this question is still being thrown around by the GOP. Some are even acting as if they just heard about Obama, further driving my point that they are ignorant and just don't want to know who Obama is. If you don't know who is Obama it's because you don't want to know. You don't watch his speeches, you've never read one of his books, you don't visit his campaign website and you never watched many of the videos touching on his life story and most of all you aren't watching the news, even if it is the GOP network FOX NEWS. I am even still shocked that we're are less than 3 weeks out from election day and there are still undecided voters. What are you waiting for? What else can either candidate do at this point to convince you to vote for them? I think these people have the same approach with their jobs. They get a task thats due in 2 weeks and they get to is the day before or they day of.

[SurrealPumpkin]

The question I'm hearing these days is "Who is John McCain?"

[shimane]

Thanks for the post.

It is too bad that politicians continue to exempt themselves from Do Not Call law.

StopPoliticalCalls.org is fighting for the privacy of the American voter.

1 - Creating a Political Do Not Call Registry
2 - Testifying in the US Senate about robo calls (Sen. Feinstein’s Robocall Privacy Act)
3 - Forcing states to enforce existing robo call laws (CA, MN, NJ, etc..)
4 - Getting politicians to take a do not robo call pledge (7 have)

As I testified at the US. Senate these robo calls are an epidemic and this election cycle “phone spam” and are invading the privacy of All American Voters.

Our members are taking a stand and saying enough is enough at the National Political Do Not Contact Registry at StopPoliticalCalls.org.

Here is a quote from a member recently:

"I'm a shift worker, working variable shifts. I depend on my sleep to be able to do my job safely and efficiently. I'm a locomotive engineer. Imagine the disaster were I to fall asleep, operating a freight train carrying hazardous materials in your neighborhood, due to fatigue from being awoken in my middle of the night on a continuous basis during election season. Please stop.."

Learn more.

Shaun Dakin
CEO
http://www.stoppoliticalcalls.org
A non-profit fighting for the privacy of the American voter

[GreyWolfSC]

How much are you going to spam that site?

[nycwerewolf]

If you care about our veterans and this country of ours...

...Don't vote for John McCain.

McCain voted against our troops MANY times in the senate.

John McCain voted AGAINST 20 million dollars for veteran care facilities.

John McCain voted AGAINST $322 million for safety equipment for our troops in Iraq.

John McCain voted AGAINST $1 billion dollars in new equipment for the National Guard.

John McCain voted AGAINST Jim Webb's G.I. Bill.

John McCain voted AGAINST $430 million for veterans outpatient care.

Barack voted FOR all of these troop support initiatives.

They deserve better than McCain.

We deserve better than McCain.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AND VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT

Obama VS. McCain: Who Should You Vote For?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/matthewhencke/gG5tH5

If You Are Thinking About Voting For John McCain/Sarah Palin...
...First Ask Yourselves These Questions:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/matthewhencke/gGxVK9

[Ohg]

Can you just see McCain sitting at a G8 summit meeting. What does he do when other world leaders disagree, throw up his hands, roll his eyes, and dismiss others with sarcasm. ..........­..........­..
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/10/16/note-to-mccain-sarcasm-is-toxic/

[vippy]

and don't forget NAP!!!

[Grunty1]

Of course the GOP uses robocalls, which are illegal in many locations around the country.
He has shown no concern with obeying the law his entire campaign.

If someone changes their mind due to a robocall, then something is obivously wrong with them.

[iPolitics]

John McCain, HONORLESS

[Whinger]

I know exactly who and what John McCain is, he is far removed from his public image!

He is not the man his supporters think he is!