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Drunk Robodialing?

By TChris, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 08:46:28 PM EST
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After going an entire evening without a message on my home answering machine, I was starting to think that all the criticism of John McCain's nasty robocalls had convinced McCain to pull the plug on the autodialers, despite his defense of the practice. And then the phone rang.

The message was a robocall, but not from John McCain. This one was from John Cornyn's wife Sandy telling me how wonderful her husband is and reminding me that early voting starts today in Texas. That's great, RoboSandy. Except I live in Wisconsin. You might have noticed the area code.

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    Drunk Robodialing? | 18 comments (18 topical)

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    I am plagued by pro-Obama robocalls (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Cream City on Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 08:57:32 PM EST
    from unions and such, just a bit to the east of you.  So it's not verboten to robocall on both sides.  (And the stupid callers keep asking for my spouse, who is not a member of the AFT -- I'm the one who is.  But the stupid state party does the same thing, always asking for the male spouse of the house, although I wrote the checks.  But no more; I'm done with all their sexist stuff.)

    The one that drives me crazy is some telemarketer for campaigns that comes out of Chicago (I learned that by looking up the number in reverse; it has a lot of complaints, too).  Either no one is there, and then there's a hangup -- maybe realizing they've called the wrong area code, as in your case? -- or there's some muttering, some clicks, and that's it.  Several times now. . . .

    Please, please, can we tell them Wisconsin isn't a swing state anymore?  I remember almost nonstop nonsense like this just before the election in 2004.  I swear, I will vote against the candidate of the next nuisance caller I get.  I work at home, and I hear from others who do that there oughta be a law.  (Oh wait, there is . . . and a lot of them break our state law.)

    Reminds me of my (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by oldpro on Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 09:03:03 PM EST
    congressman's fury and embarrassment a cycle or two ago when he was up for reelection and hired some campaign firm to call his district.

    Problem (unforseen) was that the firm was on the east coast and the congressman's district (mine) was on the west coast...and never the timewarp shall meet as the calls went out at 9am sharp...6 am our time!

    Hooboy.  Lotsa angry voters and one REALLY angry congressman...

    The stooopid, it hurts. . . . :-) (5.00 / 2) (#5)
    by Cream City on Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 09:39:59 PM EST


    Parent
    Feeling very unpopular (none / 0) (#6)
    by BrassTacks on Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 11:17:48 PM EST
    I have yet to get a single robo call this election cycle.  How very strange!

    Chill. It's still early...and (none / 0) (#7)
    by oldpro on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 12:47:52 AM EST
    ...you really don't want to take these things personally.

    Have some chocolate...

    Parent

    Hahaha........... (none / 0) (#11)
    by BrassTacks on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 02:06:32 PM EST
    Sounds like a good plan!

    A VERY republican friend of mine, in Maryland, is getting solicitations from the Governor of Virginia to send money to help Obama win Virginia.  He's pissed because in his entire life he's only given money to republicans.   And here I am, someone who has always worked for democrats and given them money, and I'm getting next to nothing in the mail and no phone calls.  Ain't politics fun?!  

    Parent

    Sometimes.... (none / 0) (#15)
    by oldpro on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 09:19:59 PM EST
    but not this year.

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    Why not this year? (none / 0) (#16)
    by BrassTacks on Thu Oct 23, 2008 at 10:15:22 PM EST
    We're kicking butt and takin' names!  If it ain't fun now, when is it fun?!  

    Parent
    Class warfare, racism and (none / 0) (#18)
    by oldpro on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 02:40:01 AM EST
    misogyny is not welcome in my kind of Democratic Party...that's why.

    A visit to Bob Somerby or Anglachel's Journal  would bring you up to speed.

    Parent

    Oh sorry, (none / 0) (#19)
    by BrassTacks on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 09:20:01 PM EST
    I guess I am one of those rare democrats who is having fun, especially when we're winning big.  

    Parent
    Yes. Winning is fun. (none / 0) (#20)
    by oldpro on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 01:28:00 AM EST
    But in politics, it should be for something that matters...something one can count on...or the fun goes out of it.

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    It's a mixed bag. (none / 0) (#9)
    by Fabian on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 04:27:22 AM EST
    I got a call from Mayor Coleman when Obama came to town inviting me to come out.  (appearance scheduled for when I had to be at the bus stop)

    That was cool.  Simple, to the point, non-inflammatory.

    One of the GOP robocalls was talking about the Democrats and their radical Hollywood friends plus other slurs.  I laugh every time they say that.  Reagan?  Actor?  Hollywood?  California?  

    Parent

    So Funny!!! (none / 0) (#8)
    by marleen on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 03:57:33 AM EST
    http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=jMyNk8J1c8g

    The only phone pitches we get these days (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 12:00:59 PM EST
    are from contractors looking for remodeling work.

    You know the economy's tanking when contractors not only have the need, but also the time, to telemarket.

    Gosh, I got those even when the (none / 0) (#12)
    by BrassTacks on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 02:07:28 PM EST
    Economy was good!  It seems those guys always have time and money for calls.  

    Parent
    Not in my area. ( LA-ish) (none / 0) (#13)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 02:52:26 PM EST
    For the past 5-6 years you could hardly even get a contractor to return your call - them taking the time out of their day to cold-call you prospecting for work was pretty much unheard of...

    Parent
    The contractors in my area are hurting. (none / 0) (#14)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 02:53:01 PM EST


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    When did they ever claim otherwise? (none / 0) (#17)
    by BrassTacks on Thu Oct 23, 2008 at 10:16:38 PM EST
    Construction is always a tough business.  

    Parent
    Drunk Robodialing? | 18 comments (18 topical)

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