The City of Troy, New York, "Where Henry Hudson Turned Around."

Friday, October 16, 2015

MORE LIKELY, LESS LIKELY NO DIFFERENCE

PHONE CALLS

A number of people have complained about a campaign phone call that they describe as terrible and prejudicial. It looks like there may be one that is negative towards mayoral hopeful Rodney Wiltshire (WFP) and Jim Gordon (R).

We just happen to have a transcript of one such call:

Voter: Hello.

Caller: Election day is just...

Voter: What? Hello?

Caller: Eighteen days...

V: Hello! Shhh. .Be quite, Fred, I'm trying

C: Away. Have you decided which of the....

V: To hear. Is this you Emily?

C: Candidates you may vote for...

V: Now, who is this?

C: Rodney Wiltshire, Jim Gordon or Patrick...

V: There's no Rodney here. You got

C: Madden.

V: Who's mad. I told you there's no Rodney here. I think

C: If I told you that Republican candidate Jim Gordon

V: Have wrong number. I told him, Fred, be quiet.

C: Leaves the room without turning out the lights would you be...

V: Gordon who?

C: More likely to vote for him, less likely or...

V: I'm sorry, my husband is shouting at...

C: No difference.

V: Me. What?

Click

Seriously, if anyone has received these calls, let us know the basics. We know a Gordon supporter received one on Gordon and Wiltshire supporters have received calls about Wiltshire, but that is all we have heard. We are always suspicious when a candidate claims some outrageous campaign tactic on the part of an opponent. Madden's camp was outraged at the Working Families Party's primary-eve mailer.  The mailer was not outside the pale, just poorly done, contradictory and predictable. Similarly, are these calls as bad as people say or just bad in the eyes of supporters?

One could speculate that this is the work of the Working Families Party. There are independent expenditures made on behalf of the Wiltshire campaign. Two entities who have made such expenditures are the Working Families Party State & Local Campaign Committee and the CWA District 1 PAC. Both these entities have utilized the services of InFocus Campaigns Inc., a Texas based company that provides traditional voter contact tools. No similar entity is providing services to Madden, Gordon or Cox.

Why would Wiltshire supporters do such a thing (and we are not saying they did)? Wiltshire has shown a propensity to play the victim. Whether a primary loss  or sluggish, struggling campaign, he uses perceived offensesand righteous indignation to go on the offensive and grab some press. Not a bad strategy, but a political ploy nonetheless.

Wiltshire had this to say:

"I have received several phone calls and messages tonight from random voters and supporters of mine who are reporting the terrible and prejudicial robocall that ...the Madden campaign sent to Troy voters tonight against me.

Furthermore, he used the number of an elderly woman who lives at O'Neil apartments here in Troy as the outgoing number for the robocall.

So, I'm sure she's been getting all sorts of angry phone calls from people that she had not actually called.

I think it's very hypocritical of him and his campaign to attempt to manipulate voters, especially after his video commentary earlier this year."

Madden has denied his campaign had any involvement in the calls.

It's hard not to notice that during the course of this campaign, Wiltshire has called Madden a criminal (alleging he was in cahoots with Ernest Everett's voter fraud endeavors), responsible for voter suppression  and, now, a liar. He issues such statements and never follows up with any evidence. Yet, he's the reformer who will change politics as usual (despite relying upon traditional Democratic union support and drive-by facebook press releases).

Could County Chair Wade have paid for the calls, independent of Madden? Any such expense should be reflected in the next campaign disclosures, due next week. This doesn't have the Wade smell either. He's more likely to use a hard-hitting mailer, targeted at blanks, independents and flaccid democrats. If no one claims the calls, it would be a campaign rule violation and worthy of an investigation. Such calls are not rare, they have been used by Republicans in the past and have not shown up in disclosure reports. Many of the companies that perform such services are shady, fly-by-night operations, worthy of disdain. We'll have to check the disclosures. If you know Madden, he's telling the truth. However, people will believe what they want to believe.

Please, if you can relay, or paraphrase, the call, we'd be interested. (Update: Just listened on T-Spin.)
We will comment later.

This weekend will take a look at the public hearing on the budget and offer some real solutions to the proposed 9.3% tax hike.

23 comments:

Troy O'Leary said...

Once again we have another accusation with no proof at all. How can Rodney be so quick to say Madden is behind these call?

"Maddens cynical and negative campaign just hit a new low worth this ridiculous and cheap robo push call."

I'd like to know what other cynical and negative tactics Madden has used.

Anonymous said...

There were negative questions asked about Madden as well. Interesting that they were conveniently edited out of the audio file on T-spin. It is in fact, a compilation of two different push polls. The first few questions were from the recent poll. That poll asked if the person called was familiar with the candidates, and who they would vote for. The second part of the audio above was from a poll conducted well before the primary. It also included questions about Madden not being a Democrat, and having the council meeting video removed from the city website. Either Franco edited that file, or Wiltshire did.

Anonymous said...

So tired of Rodney's blame game. He played dirty in the primary but he can't take it in the general? You don't hear others whining and they were included in the poll...boo hoo

Anonymous said...

He may be so quick to say it because talk is cheap & he's desperate.
To this day Rodney has not publicly responded regarding the pre-primary WFP "puppet" mailer. He denied it's existence before it hit, but clammed right up after it did.
How you like them sour grapes?

Troy O'Leary said...

^ with*

Anonymous said...

Playin with the big boys now Rodney. Want some cheese with that whine? Mirch couldn't beat Wade - what makes you think you & those dimwits you run with can? Havin a wabbit in your tank is not going to help - not to mention the felons you have in your corner.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the 2nd part of the audio regarding Madden could have been source material for the marionette mail piece Rodney denied & then conveniently never came clean about. Interesting...
Now, notice which candidate concentrates on issues & which candidate concentrates on rumours & gossip & which one can't concentrate enough to answer economic development questions asked two months ago. If the wrong one ends up in the mayor's chair the joke's on Troy, again!

Billie Jean Is Not My Lover said...

Warrant ID# : E-027894471-W006-9 $10,4597

Warrant ID# : E-027894471-W014-6 $6,523

Warrant ID# : E-027894471-W015-1 $8,189.65

Pay Us, loser. Pay Us.

Hey, how come your partner, Dan Satre, went on to be successful with his own business. Dropped the dead weight?

Gordon 911 said...

Please release me, let me go.

We know he owes taxes said...

Oh enough with McAsshat and his unpaid taxes, let's talk about the Mayor's race, let's talk about issues. Please let's not talk about that twitiot.

Anonymous said...

Yes democratus Rodney produced it to make himself the victim? You dems are priceless.

Anonymous said...

That's not what he/she said.

Anonymous said...

Little over two weeks away to a new mayor. If Gordon releases the tape will Madden come clean and state is Dunne done or part of the new city haul staff?

Anonymous said...

The theory that Rodney would do it is that the start of the poll steers you to a specific candidate. If you pick Rodney, it means you are already a Rodney supporter, then you hear bad things about him. You freak out. you yell and scream, but you are even more of a Rodney supporter. And you get to blame the other side. It's just a theory, but not as impossible as 8:23 thinks it is.

Anonymous said...

9:48 figured out Rodney's strategy. But left out the part where Rodney gets to cry "victim". Only at this point, it;s a lot like crying wolf!

Anonymous said...

9:48 and 11:27, you're missing a very important aspect here, Rodney's not that bright. Now take the foil off your heads.

Fantomas said...

There always seem to be one of these push poll stories every election cycle. I've come to think about it as just another political tool we have to deal with and hear about every cycle. At this point do they really bother people. We should ignore them and see if they go away. Do they work? I've never received one. Have any of you?

Anonymous said...

Who is Drew arguing with? Are their posts we're not seeing or has he followed Cox off the cliff?

Anonymous said...

This is 9:48. I don't think Rodney did it, was just explaining the reasoning behind the theory. And foil hats are so yesterday, saran wrap with a fetching bow is the new style.

Phana24JG said...

Tin foil hats? What a collection of 20th century losers in the group. Those of us in the know have the new Alex Jones designer line of titanium hats. They offer 99.5% effectiveness against the mind-control devices employed by the Illuminati. They are lightweight, effective, very stylish, and can be worn for any occasion, from our most informal militia meeting to the most elegant gatherings at the finest trailer parks.

The local distributor is some fellow named Cox. Prices are competitive, and you can learn a lot about local politics in the scintillating conversation during your fitting.

Anonymous said...

Drew hasn't even commented on this post. Perhaps it's you who has followed Cox off the cliff. Wow, now your seeing Drew when he's not even there. Get some help!

Anonymous said...

It's been deleted. It was there, No big deal.

911 said...

I paid for the calls. I admit it.