GOP INSIDER: ROMNEY “STRATEGICALLY” PLACING MINORITIES AT RALLIES

[DonViejo]

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is “strategically” placing minorities at his campaign rallies, according to a Republican insider.

Speaking to Politico, Republican strategist Ana Navarro – who worked for the McCain and Huntsman campaigns – alleges that when the Romney campaign stages its rallies, “You can almost invariably count on the row of women or black or brown people strategically placed in the audience.”

The allegation has surfaced at a time when it appears Romney is poised to perform worse with those constituent groups than John McCain did in 2008.

The ongoing Republican “war on women” via efforts to dictate birth control options to women has appeared to hurt the GOP in several polls. Similarly, Romney’s opposition to immigration reform has pushed back his party’s efforts to attract members of this growing, Democratic-leaning constituency.

Read more:
http://www.nationalconfidential.com/20120930/gop-insider-romney-strategically-placing-minorities-at-rallies/

[FarPoint]

1. Why do they go?

Do these audience plants get paid?

[oldhippydude]

3. think they get a coupon for

Godfathers Pizza

[FarPoint]

9. That is a good one.

Herman Cain does his gop duty....

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. if they don't go...

...they should get two coupons.

[Scootaloo]

26. That's if they don't show up, right?

"Either you show up or we're sending you a pizza from Godfathers!" seems like it would be pretty successful as an intimidation tactic. Fucking nasty pizza, worse than frozen Red Baron.

[ywcachieve]

28. I wonder why they let themselves be used like that.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

41. Sure, there is no law against it.

[aaaaaa5a]

2. Seriously, there were people out there in the world that did not know this?

All campaigns do this. Why do you think they have people standing behind the speaker at rallies? Its a terrible seat. Who wants to stare at the candidates back for an hour?


In 2008, the Obama campaign had some muslim supporters removed from standing behind the President because they thought it would convey the wrong image.


About a week ago, Romney had a rally where everyone standing behind him was a woman. What are the odds of that occurring randomly?


Strategically placing certain people at rallies is a part of any campaign. And it has been for years.

[2pooped2pop]

8. they take the same group of black peeps from

stop to stop and that is normal?

I read here on DU that some were thinking that the black people at one rally are the same as at the others. If so, are you saying that this is normal, not only to put some faces in strategic positions, but to hire them to appear at all your stops?

[aaaaaa5a]

21. It wouldn't surprise me.

Trying to find any minority to stand at a GOP event must be really hard to do.

[hootinholler]

19. Both sides do it?

I'm calling bullshit. Prove it.

[aaaaaa5a]

20. These campaigns are made for TV events. The pictures are often worth more than the words.

View this link. Please judge for yourself.

[ywcachieve]

30. You are right. That person is just talking BS.

AS I said, I have never heard of or seen the Dems plant certain ethnic persons to give the appearance of diversity. The Dems ARE DIVERSITY.

[CindyinIndy]

38. Our side

doesn't HAVE to do it. True diversity happens naturally.

[ailsagirl]

25. I always wondered about the people standing behind the speaker

But I like to watch their reactions-- that's probably why

Nitt's people have blank expressions

[matt819]

32. Standing behing the speaker, maybe.

But seeding the crowd, I'm with the ones who call bullshit on this.

I can understand manipulating the people who sit behind the candidate. At this point that's been so overdone that it's really pointless. The obvious - or at least perceived to be obvious - manipulation of that group is a given, so to continue doing it is hardly worth the effort. It may be a reward of some sort to those given the opportunity, but it's really, well, overdone.

As for seeding the crowd, as has been reported by the those in the know about Romney. I can believe it about Romney, and it is disappointing that there are people who for a t-shirt or free lunch will take that job. But about the Obama campaign? If you can prove it, I'll eat these pixels. But I just can't see that happening. For one thing, the numbers are just too great. And the reality is that his crowds really are diverse, so it's not necessary.

[ailsagirl]

35. Oh, definitely

The President has no reason to seed the crowd, and even if he had a scant turnout, he'd never do it. He's simply not that kind of person.
Nitt? No question about it.

[Rozlee]

33. I certainly had a sullen one when I was standing behind

Senator John Cornyn when he was touring Brooke Army Medical Center and we had to cluster around him while he touted his devotion to the troops. As a native Texan, I knew what he was all about even though many of the out-of-staters were clueless. They were kind of glum as well, though. They knew what politicians were all about.

[ywcachieve]

29. Both sides DO NOT do it. That is untrue.

I have never seen or heard of Dems planting certain ethnic groups. NEVER<>

[Warpy]

4. This has been obvious and has been commented upon

ever since those laughable GOP primary "debates" started last year.

[polichick]

5. Well, he's not fooling anyone.

[SunSeeker]

6. Mitt uses women and minorities like duck decoys.

He hopes to lure others by making them think it's safe because there are some already there. Don't do it, unless you want to get hit with economic buckshot!

[beac]

13. Great analogy!

(Yes, I'll be stealing it!)

[monmouth]

7. I hope he's paying $10 an hour. It's hazard pay IMO...n/t

[obxhead]

11. $10 an hour isn't even close to a living wage

let alone hazard pay.

Knowing Romney though, he's probably paying less than minimum wage when all factors are considered.

[formercia]

18. Romney probably makes them Pay for their own meals and room.

The other choice is to sleep in the rental truck with the other props.

Joke in the Romney camp: How many Minorities can you pack into a Hotel Room?

[Orrex]

10. File that under "Shit comma No"

It's like how the MSM manages to find and interview the one African American at a TeaBagger rally or Libertarian convention, in a desperate effort to create an impression of diversity without actually risking actual diversity.

[bigdarryl]

14. This MOTHER FUCKER is doing that repeatedly through out the campaign

[NCLefty]

15. If they treated people who weren't like them nice they might not have to do this.

I cannot beLIEVE what they did to the Latino community. Here, let's alienate a MASSIVE constituency that's going to dominate in the years to come. The level of stupidity is mind-boggling. They are either so scared of others or too short-sighted to realize what they've done.

The only people they want are white, straight, and preferably male.

AS YOU WISH, SIRE.

[geckosfeet]

16. Yeah? And how is that working out?

[L0oniX]

17. So the 47% are useful for crowd plantings.

[desertduck]

22. Well.....yes. They HAVE to. They don't have that many to go around...

This shouldn't be surprising to anyone.

[jsr]

23. It's an old GOP tradition

[cash__whatiwant]

24. duh nt

[underthematrix]

27. LOL!! As an minority,

may I make a suggestion to the GOPKKK? try using "minority" actors so you don't end up with minorities looking confused and angry when they discover they are at a mittnocchio rally instead of a job fair.

[SunSeeker]

31. OMG. Seriously? Has that happened? nt

[47of74]

34. To quote Joe

"Oh, Sweet Jesus"

[Third Doctor]

36. I've been suspecting this for a while. They have done the same with women also.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

37. It's stories like this

that make me wonder why some people think that this race is "close". This is simply NOT the kind of stuff a strong/winning candidate does.

[tanyev]

39. Wait. I thought Republicans hated affirmative action programs.

[mac56]

40. duzy!

[sinkingfeeling]

42. Wrong thread.