Flood of campaign operatives cause worry

[babylonsister]

Flood of campaign operatives cause worry

By MIKE GLOVER
Associated Press Writer


DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Will they be checking for out-of-state IDs at the caucuses?

The major presidential campaigns are flooding the state with hundreds of field staffers, and there's at least some concern that those operatives could show up for the Jan. 3 precinct caucuses and distort the outcome of the opening test of the presidential nominating season.

Spokesmen for the leading campaigns reject that suggestion, saying there are strict rules banning operatives brought into the state from actually participating in caucuses. They note that the number of operatives potentially involved is far too small to have an impact on the outcome of caucuses, which are likely to be settled by an estimated 150,000 people on the Democratic side and over 80,000 on the Republican side.

Most of the concern comes on the Democratic race, where - unlike the GOP - the rules governing who can participate in a caucus technically include recent residents who may leave the state immediately afterward.

With the Democratic caucus contest very tight in most polls, the rival campaigns are keeping a close eye on what the others are doing and some provided The Associated Press with lists of campaign staffers registered to vote in Iowa in the various campaigns. One campaign listing showed that 51 of the 115 people on the staff of Hillary Rodham Clinton's Iowa campaign are registered to vote in the state, and that 91 of the 131 people working for John Edwards in the state are registered to vote in Iowa.

Another listing showed that 42 staffers working for Barack Obama's campaign have registered to vote in the state, many in the last six months or so.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CAUCUS_VOTING?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[SoxFan]

1. "Ringers" in New Hampshire

This is a list of people who registered to vote on the day of the city elections in a single precinct in Manchester, NH. For the record, there were two races (alderman and school board) between an Obama supporter and a Richardson supporter where the Richardson supporters were backed by the Clinton-controlled state and city party apparatus. Despite the influx of flatlanders, the Obama supporters won both races:

Michael Firestone: Clinton field staffer

Abbe Ross: Clinton deputy state director

Colin Pio: Clinton deputy state political director

Jennifer Paolino: Clinton field staff

Daniel Morrocco: Clinton staff

Carly Lindauer: Clinton deputy press secretary

Michel Chaghouri: Clinton staff

Kevin Hodges: Richardson scheduler

David Tatsoo Imamura: Richardson staff

Dana Kelly: Dodd field director

Heidi Mitchell: Biden deputy state director, former NHDP staffer

Evan Carlson: Biden press secretary, former NHDP staffer

[Adelante]

3. Is there a link to that? Thanks. nt

[SoxFan]

4. No link

I'm the guy who won the race for alderman. My campaign manager and I reviewed the list of election day registrations and cross-checked it against staff lists and campaign spending reports.

I've just sent the info to the Boston Globe and the NH Union Leader.

[Adelante]

6. And you checked they weren't residents?

I'm not doubting you, I just would like to thoroughly pin it down. Thanks again.

And big congrats on your win! :)

[rinsd]

10. So were they legal residents or not?

If they were eligible and registered to vote, isn't it better that they also participate in locals elections as opposed to just the primary? :shrug:

[SoxFan]

13. Illegal? No. Sleazy? Yes.

New Hampshire has very lax residency requirements, so there is nothing illegal per se. It is, however, rather sleazy. These people are, with a few exceptions, from out of state. They did not live here before the campaign, and they will not be staying in town after the primary. These are people who are career political operatives, who have worked in DC or NYC.

The only motivation for voting in a city race was to try and defeat a pair of Obama supporters who did not have the blessing of the local machine.

[question everything]

2. Which is why we need to urge all the candidates

to stick around through Super Dupe Tuesday Feb. 5.

Iowa and New Hampshire do not represent the real demographics of the country as a whole. In addition to what the OP describes, NH lets independent vote in the party primary.

I will not be surprised if, say, California and Florida come out with different results.

[Debi]

5. Before jumping to conclusions - I'd want to know how many of those staff members

lived in Iowa prior to being hired by the campaigns...Chris Hayler/Ben Hodep/Mark Daley from the Clinton campaingn, Brad Frevert from the Richardson campaign, Katie Engbretson from the Obama campaign and Ellen Goodman from the Biden campaign are ones that instantly pop into my head, I'm sure if I took more time I'd find many many more IOWA staff members who have every legal right to participate in the Caucuses January 3rd.

And then there is this:


To ensure that caucus night truly reflects the decisions made by Iowans and not people from out-of-state;

WE THE UNDERSIGNED CAMPAIGNS, to ensure a fair caucus process AND MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF IOWA’S FIRST IN THE NATION CAUCUS, pledge that no campaign staff or out-of-state volunteers will be allowed to caucus or be counted as a caucus-goer on January 3rd.


Julie Andreeff Jensen

Paul Tewes, Obama Campaign

Teresa Vilmain, Clinton Campaign

Danny O’Brien, Biden Campaign

Jennifer O’Malley, Dillon Edwards Campaign

Rob Becker, Richardson Campaign"

On edit:

cutting and pasting is an art :P

[Joe the Revelator]

7. This is the new spin to invalidate Hilliary's losses? Gotta do better then this...

[babylonsister]

8. Sometimes, an article is just an article.

:crazy:

[Joe the Revelator]

9. Thats what I'm talking about, actual spin, not DU spin.

:)

[rinsd]

11. Apparently as Hillary supporters grow more shill, haters like yourself are losing grip on reality.

[madfloridian]

12. They accused Dean of this in 04. Nothing new.

All the operatives were saying he was going to "pack" the caucuses.