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You, too, can be a mindless, rewarded McCain campaign troll

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Ideally, a presidential campaign would inspire supporters to defend the candidate’s ideas, promote his/her agenda, and advance his/her policies.

But the McCain campaign has already been suffering from an “enthusiasm gap,” so it appears his supporters need a little incentive to say nice things about the presumptive Republican nominee.

On McCain’s Web site, visitors are invited to “Spread the Word” about the presumptive Republican nominee by sending campaign-supplied comments to blogs and Web sites under the visitor’s screen name. The site offers sample comments (“John McCain has a comprehensive economic plan . . .”) and a list of dozens of suggested destinations, conveniently broken down into “conservative,” “liberal,” “moderate” and “other” categories. Just cut and paste.

Activists and political operatives have used volunteers or paid staff to seed radio call-in shows or letters-to-the-editor pages for years, typically without disclosing the caller or letter writer’s connection to a candidate or cause. Like the fake grass for which the practice is named, such AstroTurf messages look as though they come from the grass roots but are ersatz.

McCain’s campaign has taken the same idea and given it an Internet-era twist. It also has taken the concept one step further.

People who sign up for McCain’s program receive reward points each time they place a favorable comment on one of the listed Web sites (subject to verification by McCain’s webmasters). The points can be traded for prizes, such as books autographed by McCain, preferred seating at campaign events, even a ride with the candidate on his bus, known as the Straight Talk Express, according to campaign spokesman Brian Rogers.

McCain hasn’t actually earned actual grassroots support, but he’s certainly willing to buy it, and catapult the propaganda online.

The WaPo noted why these tactics might sound familiar: “[D]issidents alleged earlier this year that the Chinese government has paid Chinese citizens token sums for each favorable comment about government policies they post in chat rooms and on blogs.”

Yes, let’s pause to appreciate the ways in which the McCain campaign has borrowed the tactics of an authoritarian communist regime.

In some ways, I’m a little surprised conservatives aren’t more insulted by this. The McCain campaign assumes a) his supporters need prize incentives to say nice things about him; and b) these same supporters aren’t quite smart enough to come up with their own ideas, and need to copy and paste pre-approved comments that the campaign has come up with for them.

D-Day’s take was spot-on:

This is just an evolution of the Bush Administration paying Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher to carry water for their policies. It’s wingnut welfare at the micro-level. And it’s kind of sad that you can’t find a conservative who is legitimately excited enough about John McCain to promote him online for free. I think the accurate response to any McCain supporter at this point is “how many buttons did you just win for that comment?”

Matt Ortega also had a great line: “Commanding an army of spammers on the internet: now that’s leadership you can believe in.”

Note to the McCain campaign: when you lack genuine, sincere support, and can’t find voters who want to say nice things about you, the goal should be to hide this fact, not create an online initiative to bring attention to it.

Comments

  • Equal Opportunity Cynic

    says:

    Smart developers should be able to create plug-ins for different blogging packages (WordPress, Moveable Type, etc.) that can pull down the latest McCain talking points, look for comments that quote them verbatim, and tag such comments as spam without the blog owner having to take manual action. 🙂

  • McCain Troll

    says:

    A couple of points:

    1) McCain is a leader.
    2) McCain was shot down and tortured which qualifies him to be President.
    3) Obama is a celebrity, worshipped here and abroad by adulating followers.
    4) The liberal media is in the bag for Obama.

    REFUTE THAT IF YOU CAN, BITCHES!!!!!

  • Greg

    says:

    I’d say that’s 4 points for McCain Troll.. possibly 1 more for using ALL CAPS in the last sentence too 🙂

  • American in France

    says:

    Umm… and what exactly did McCan’t do in Iraq? He walked around in a flak jacket, surrounded by hundreds of heavily armed soldiers, overseen by heavily armed helicopters? Is that what he’s supposed to do every time he wants to talk to the American public as our next president?!? Gee, sounds like a good plan for the world’s oldest continuous democracy to me.

  • -jayinge-

    says:

    This must explain the fairly sudden appearance of a “daily troll” on CB, complaining about how those of us in CB’s comments section (and CB itself) are being smug and uninformed—by offering comments that are smug and uninformed, and just plain silly. Some comments are so dumb that they seemed to intend to incite “troll drift” where the postings spiral down a rabbit hole of irrelevant nonsense. This is the best that the 27 percenters can come up with? Get a life.

  • Racer X

    says:

    McCain is such “a illiterate” [sic] he can’t even figure out how to get on the internets without his wife’s help, but he can launch a convincing online grassroots movement?

    LOL.

  • NonyNony

    says:

    The McCainBots surely can’t be any more annoying than the PaulBots were.

    I have some respect for the Paulistas because they were a group of folks who passionately believed in what they were doing. They often went about convincing people in a way that was, shall we say, counterproductive in some ways. But they were passionate and did what they were doing because they believed they were right.

    OTOH, posting talking points so you can earn an autographed copy of one of McCain’s ghost-written books? Or a front-row seat at one of his “straight talk” sessions? Lame. Lamer than lame, it’s like lame so large and massive that it has collapsed in on itself and created a super black hole of lameness.

    In fact, it’s so lame that it’s almost offensive to the honest trolls who were already out there doing the job without the tantalizing prospect of ride on the “Straight Talk Express”.

  • Lance

    says:

    Wow! I’ve actually seen some of these smucks on TCBR. About two weeks ago it think, every other comment exactly a sentence long and totally unconvincing of anything. Mike wasn’t it?

    Thought that Obama might be a Secret Muslim was a more likely possibility than McCain might be a Manchurian Candidate.

    What a joke. What a sad little man (in every possible way).

  • William

    says:

    Semi off topic:

    Dang, I hate that guy! After the economic surge sound-barf I heard yesterday I nearly lost my lunch and my mind. He is definitely trying to one up on the most irresponsible gambler ever elected (GWB) by being the most clownish and doddering fool of a candidate ever to utter words into a microphone since Reagan. I’d pray to a deity but I’d have to commit myself immediately after doing so.

    At least I’m no McLame troll!

  • libra

    says:

    The site offers sample comments (”John McCain has a comprehensive economic plan . . .”)

    Dear Carpetbaggers,
    John McCain has a comprehensive economic plan. He will unveil it as soon as he is installed in the White House; he hopes that, by that time, the Big Oil will have provided all the necessary — and so far missing — numbers. In the meantime, rest assured that the plan is comprehensive, even if it seems incomprehensible to you and most economists; Senator McCain knows how to win wars, including the War On Economy (WOE).

    He also has a comprehensive energy plan. He will unveil it as soon as… well, you know the drill.

    Greg, @3&5,
    If you had been paying attention (instead of playing concern troll yourself, over Obama’s imaginary “inadequacy”), you’d have known that Mercenary Cookbook is no troll but a delightful, dead-pan satire. But, I suppose, one can’t expect attention to detail, common sense, *or* a sense of humour from a dead-ender PUMA…

  • amy

    says:

    Not to sound anyone’s mom or nothin’ but this is a good time to remind everyone:

    Please don’t feed the trolls.

  • Giant Kid

    says:

    Come now, guys. Weren’t you aware that John McCain has a comprehensive health care reform plan that will reduce the spiraling cost of health care – a major burden for those small businesses that offer health insurance and a major impediment for those who cannot?

    He will provide $5,000 for health insurance to every American family – supporting small businesses that seek to offer insurance. John McCain opposes costly mandates or “pay or play” requirements that would raise the financial burden on small business, cut the ability to hire, expand, or raise payrolls.

    …okay, where’s my free TV?

  • Chad

    says:

    Oh, So I guess it’s okay for Obamabots to knock on my door every weekend trying to get the ‘word out’.

    Why is it okay for Obama to do that, but not McCain? It’s called politicking and campaigning you nuts.

  • TomB

    says:

    I’m REALLY UPSET! I went to the McCain site and checked out the troll program. It had featured and suggested blogs and The Carpetbagger Report wasn’t listed! Those guys at the McCain camp are idiots!! C’mon McCain, learn about the best blog out there and get it on your list!!

  • doubtful

    says:

    Oh, So I guess it’s okay for Obamabots to knock on my door every weekend trying to get the ‘word out’. -Chad

    They do it because they believe in Obama and his policies, not because they’re trying to win a whistle.

    And you’re a fool if you don’t think McCain has door knockers; you’re comparing apples to oranges and making a false equivalence.

    Is Obama rewarding people for commenting on blogs? No.

    Chad, you’re out of your league here.

  • chrenson

    says:

    In the 40s we had gas and tire rationing, road signs that said “Hitler smiles when you waste miles” and “Is this trip really necessary?” [not to mention my personal favorite: “Buy War Stamps and Lick the Other Side!”] and the American people dutifully made small sacrifices ultimately for the betterment of all mankind.

    And the best Republicans can come up with now is twittering “#dontgo”? Literally they are saying, “Screw healthcare! Screw the war in Iraq! Screw Social Security, the environment, education, immigration, poverty, hunger and AIDS! But you get your asses back to work until I get me some cheap gas!!!”

    Now that’s sacrifice!

  • Mark

    says:

    Quick question: Yesterday I received an email from my older brother talking about McCain v Obama. My brother is a conservative repub (I’m the opposite). Thing is, it didn’t seem like his writing – that’s what’s been bugging me. I’m considering asking him if he was in fact the author or did he cut and paste and then modify to personalize, but I doubt he’d tell me the truth. Have any of you heard of these kinds of “form” letters that conversatives are instructed to send to their Liberal family members? If so, where do they get them? I’d like to see if I can find the form letter he used and send it – not modified or filled out – to him as a “gotcha!” Thanks

  • MW

    says:

    Why is it okay for Obama to do that, but not McCain? It’s called politicking and campaigning you nuts.

    And another autographed tire guage goes into the mail!

  • joey(bjobotts)

    says:

    The stakes are high, the current disaster too real and many feel this is our last real chance to save our democracy. Those so inspired don’t need to be fed talking points or bribed for support. We will be 50yrs getting the remaining roaches from our current administration out of government (destruction) service especially out of the Judiciary and the DoJ not to mention State dept. Everything this administration touched became corrupted and compromised. There are many trolls in the house who still think they took an oath to support republicans and Bush instead of the constitution.

    Apparently…nothing shames the McCain campaign. This hiring of supporters also indicates they would be just as comfortable buying votes or bribing vote counters.

    If you don’t support Obama…okay…but to say you support McCain reveals a total disconnect with supporting a democracy, rationality, or integrity.

  • Chad

    says:

    Hiring supporters? Buying Votes? Bribing vote counters? Sounds like the Chicago political machine to me. hmm?

  • doubtful

    says:

    ’d like to see if I can find the form letter he used and send it… -Mark

    Has you tried the Google?

  • Keori

    says:

    Gotta go with Answer is Orange on this one…this is the funniest thread I’ve seen this week!!

  • Prup (aka Jim Benton)

    says:

    I want an autographed book by McCain, but not one he’s written, one of the manuals that are the basis for his campaign; either

    Best Plans for Getting Rich Quick by R. Kramden

    How to Get Out of Trouble Before you Get Caught by L. McG. Ricardo

    or the big prize

    Manual of Campaign Tactics by Howard, Fine and Howard.

  • Steve

    says:

    Please don’t feed the trolls.

    Amy, we do not feed trolls. We gut them, cook them, and serve them with poi and toast to unsuspecting FOX employees in their company cafeteria as “the Friday special.” Why do you think so many of these trolls don’t come back after a few days?

    Now chaddie—————————chaddie is one of those “special” trolls. We’re fattening it up so we can make a big yellow Jack-O-Lantern out of it for Halloween. everyone gets to take turns carving chaddie with a tire guage….

  • Thor Hammerfist

    says:

    I can’t help but think that PZ Myers internet poll blitzkriegs might work in this situation. Why can’t we, here at CB, constantly cut’n’paste McNasty’s tp’s to a dead-end thread and all earn a spot on the Strizzle Dizzle Exxpress? This might be an exercise in Poe’s Law. Who’s serious? Who’s fullosnark? Who can tell?

  • McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator

    says:

    John McCain understands national security and the threats facing our nation. He recognizes the dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, violent Islamist extremists and their terrorist tactics, and the ever present threat of regional conflict that can spill into broader wars that endanger allies and destabilize areas of the world vital to American security. He knows that to protect our homeland, our interests, and our values – and to keep the peace – America must have the best-manned, best-equipped, and best-supported military in the world.

  • McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator

    says:

    John McCain has been a tireless advocate of our military and ensuring that our forces are properly postured, funded, and ready to meet the nation’s obligations both at home and abroad. He has fought to modernize our forces, to ensure that America maintains and expands its technological edge against any potential adversary, and to see that our forces are capable and ready to undertake the variety of missions necessary to meet national security objectives.

  • McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator

    says:

    As President, John McCain will strengthen the military, shore up our alliances, and ensure that the nation is capable of protecting the homeland, deterring potential military challenges, responding to any crisis that endangers American security, and prevailing in any conflict we are forced to fight.

  • McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator

    says:

    John McCain is strong on the environment.

    John McCain will establish a market-based system to curb greenhouse gas emissions, mobilize innovative technologies, and strengthen the economy. He will work with our international partners to secure our energy future, to create opportunities for American industry, and to leave a better future for our children.

    John McCain’s Principles for Climate Policy

    • Climate Policy Should Be Built On Scientifically-Sound, Mandatory Emission Reduction Targets And Timetables.

    • Climate Policy Should Utilize A Market-Based Cap And Trade System.

    • Climate Policy Must Include Mechanisms To Minimize Costs And Work Effectively With Other Markets.

    • Climate Policy Must Spur The Development And Deployment Of Advanced Technology.

    • Climate Policy Must Facilitate International Efforts To Solve The Problem.

    If you are concerned about the environment, you should consider voting for John McCain, because he too, cares about the environment. Just like you ! ! !

  • libra

    says:

    Hiring supporters? Buying Votes? Bribing vote counters? Sounds like the Chicago political machine to me. hmm? — Chad, @35

    Does sound like it, doesn’t it? Makes you wonder why McCain doesn’t mention training there. Also might make you wonder why Obama — who should have known better — refused, throughout his campaign, to pay out “street money”, even though it was expected of him…

  • chrenson

    says:

    If elected, McCain will:

    Sing with Tony Bennett.
    Build an enormous tire gauge with his fists.
    Stop all babies from crying.
    Bring back the McRib Sandwich [Oh how he loves the McRib!].
    Make every man, woman and child in America that has shimmering white skin filthy rich beyond their wildest dreams.

    Also, McCain will use his patented Surge Technique to get Chad laid.*

    *some restrictions apply.

  • Bruno

    says:

    moron chad said:

    Why is it okay for Obama to do that, but not McCain?

    Well, chad… Obama people have passion and actually take the time, and have the intellect, to go door to door and talk to the low-information voter, hoping to share some of the great ideas Obama has to offer.

    On the other hand, there aren’t that many republicans who want to take the time, or have the brain to intellectually defend McCain’s stances. The Republicans who do have brains, wouldn’t want to be seen promoting McCain: It’s too embarrassing.

    Then again, if I saw a chad troll like you approaching my door, wouldn’t that be fun. You’d certainly get an education, that’s for sure. Then again, you’d probably call me some choice names and walk off instead. That would be the spirit of a McCain canvasser.

    did you sign up yet? How many tokens did you earn? Are you gonna sleep with your autographed copy of McCain’s book? How many more tokens before you can sit on pappa McCain’s lap on his bus? Please do tell us.

  • Bruno

    says:

    Troll , McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator @ 42

    Obama understand whatever you copy/pasted also, exactly the same as McCain understands it.

    However Obama actually has a detailed plan to deal with it…. Can any of you McCain trolls (chad where are you?) provide us with the actual plan instead of borrowing Obama’s rhetoric?

    I thought rhetoric was for elitists? Are you saying McCain is an elitist, because he uses hollow rhetoric? Obama may be using rhetoric in his speeches, but every speech is accompanied with a detailed policy paper explaining how to get where he wants America to be.

    McCain… not so much…. Empty words that sound great – to conservatives and trolls who don’t do critical thinking.

    We’re all patiently waiting for your serious answer.

  • Bruno

    says:

    Troll , McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator @ 43

    More typical politician boiler plate rhetoric. Except this time, Obama’s rhetoric is much better. AND he has a plan

    Can you show us McCain’s plan– I mean details, not more empty words?

    We’re all patiently waing

    PS: Since you’re supposedly the party of fiscal responsibility, please make sure the numbers make sense and don’t put the burden of our children, like your current leader has been doing.

  • Bruno

    says:

    Troll , McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator @ 44

    What makes you think McCain will be president? Even Diebold has given up, there are too many states in play for them to all ‘fix’

    Come January we will have a historic first: President Obama, with a comfortable majority in both houses of congress.

    I suggest buying paper bags, that way when you start hyper ventilating, you have something to blow in. Don’t worry, America will still be here. You’ll still be able to do all the bizarre stuff you’re doing now. You’ll still be able to spew all your hatred, just like you do now. You’ll still be able to be the same bigot you are not, nobody will stop you. It’s your right and freedom.

  • McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator

    says:

    Bruno here is your answer:

    First I want to appologize for Chad. He will be docked reward points for his unhelpful comments. He is supposed to post positive things about John McCain not negative things about Obama. Here is something positive about John McCain for you to consider:

    John McCain will balance the budget by the end of his first term. The near-term path to balance is built on three principles:

    Reasonable economic growth. Growth is an imperative – historically the greatest success in reducing deficits (late 1980s; late 1990s) took place in the context of economic growth.

    Comprehensive spending controls. Bringing the budget to balance will require across-the-board scrutiny of spending and making tough choices on new spending proposals.

    Bi-partisanship in budget efforts. Much as the late 1990s witnessed bipartisan efforts to put the fiscal house in order, bi-partisan efforts will be the key to undoing the recent spending binge.

    In the long-term, the only way to keep the budget balanced is successful reform of the large spending pressures in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

  • Bruno

    says:

    Troll , McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator @ 45

    John McCain will establish a market-based system to curb greenhouse gas emissions, mobilize innovative technologies, and strengthen the economy.

    Wow, where has McCain been over the last 26 years? That is exactly what we have now: a market based system, that obviously doesn’t work.

    Or

    Is McCain taking credit for establishing the market based system?

    Obama on the other hand, knows that government need to take the lead on this. And as usual, he has a very comprehensive plan.

  • McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator

    says:

    Bruno

    John McCain will balance the budget with his bare hands if he has to.

    John McCain will institute broad reforms to control spending:

    The McCain administration would reserve all savings from victory in the Iraq and Afghanistan operations in the fight against Islamic extremists for reducing the deficit. Since all their costs were financed with deficit spending, all their savings must go to deficit reduction.

    A one-year spending pause. Freeze non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending for a year and use those savings for deficit reduction. A one-year pause in the growth of discretionary spending will be imposed to allow for a comprehensive review of all spending programs. After the completion of a comprehensive review of all programs, projects and activities of the federal government, we will propose a plan to modernize, streamline, consolidate, reprioritize and, where needed, terminate individual programs.

    Take back earmark funds. The McCain Administration will reclaim billions of add-on spending from earmarks and add-ons in FY 2007 and 2008.

  • Bruno

    says:

    Troll , McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator @ 52

    John McCain will balance the budget by the end of his first term. The near-term path to balance is built on three principles:

    Are you aware that there is a 2.3 trillion discrepancy in McCain’s numbers, between the ones he provided to economists, and what he talks about in his town hall meetings.

    He has to be lying somewhere; maybe you can find out for us.

    McCain is also on the record that he will not be balancing the budget any longer in his first term. Are you aware of that?

    Comprehensive spending controls. Bringing the budget to balance will require across-the-board scrutiny of spending and making tough choices on new spending proposals.

    I agree with this, but as long as McCain refuses to go back to his maverick position of calling the Bush Tax cuts what the really are. His plan will simply not work… As another Republican once proclaimed: “voodoo economics”

    McCain is the perfect example of that

    In the long-term, the only way to keep the budget balanced is successful reform of the large spending pressures in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

    Once again, I agree 100% Unfortunately, McCain’s way of dealing with it, are economically not feasible. It’s primarily wishful thinking and pushing the cost down into the future again.

  • McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator

    says:

    Bruno

    The answers to your question are quite easy. But first, I’d like to thank you for your interest in John McCain. Please tell your friends about John McCain and his many plan to help make American Stronger and reverse some of the mistake from the last administration.

    Now to your questions:

    A McCain Administration will provide the leadership to achieve bipartisan spending restraint equivalent to that in the 1997 Balanced Budget Agreement between a GOP Congress and a Democratic President. In 1997, President Clinton and the GOP Congress agreed to balance the budget by restraining the growth in spending and cutting taxes over a ten-year period.

    With the same bipartisan effort today, with the federal budget that is now 70 percent larger, we could keep taxes low and still balance the budget by holding overall spending growth to 2.4 percent. Unlike Congress and the Executive branch in recent years, a McCain Administration will enforce the spending restraint to balance the budget and keep it balanced.

    A McCain Administration would perform a comprehensive review of all programs, projects and activities of the federal government, and then propose a plan to modernize, streamline, consolidate, reprioritize and, where needed, terminate individual programs. McCain could use the bi-partisan commission structure used for the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). Such a commission could be required to report to the President who would then submit the recommendations to the Congress for a straight up or down vote.

    A McCain Administration will review all special spending provisions to end subsidies to high-income individuals and corporations

  • Prup (aka Jim Benton)

    says:

    Congrats, McBOC for some brilliant satire, at first just by doing what McCain asked — you had to get a little heavy handed later to show it was satire. I won’t say who I think you are, but my guess is that I posted on your main blog earlier this week — and thanx for making the correction, btw.

  • BuzzMon

    says:

    Now the ultimate is John Rich with his “Raisin’ McCain” song.

    Although, I’m not sure that calling John McCain a raisin (aka an old dried up fruit) is really a positive thing…..

  • Bernard HP Gilroy

    says:

    Look, no one should be surprised that the McCain campaign needs to offer rewards to gin up enthusiasm. For sixty years or more, Republicans have been telling all of us that the market is the answer and that anyone helping anyone else is weak. “What’s in it for me?” is the Republican theme song.

    So the idea that any true-believing Republican would go to a blog and offer comments in support of John McCain for free is just ludicrous. And McCain’s people understand that they can only count on the votes they buy. Ayn Rand would
    be so proud…

  • libra

    says:

    Bruno,

    Like Prup says… this is a spoof, not a troll. Though he’s so damned good, it’s very hard to tell. I finally went to the website, to check my growing suspicions and, even then, wasn’t *quite* sure until I scrolled down to July 21 posting. The secret street sign of recognition between supporters — “3 Fingas down, for M” — with a picture, was more than I was able to take seriously…

  • Mark D

    says:

    I was wondering how long it’d take before Bruno did the math …

    🙂

    As far as McCain rewarding trolls — this has been out there for a whole now (several weeks, actually), and it’s nice for the corporate media to finally pick up on it. Although one does have to wonder how well it will work.

    There’s also the fact this will backfire: Legit online McCain supporters (few and far between, since most McCain folks probably spend more time taking naps than they do on the Internet) will now perpetually be labeled as “paid” trolls, thus tainting everything they post. So there’s that unintentional — and hilarious — side effect as well.

    Just another example of how the right just doesn’t get the Internet.

  • Mark D

    says:

    this has been out there for a whole now …

    That’d be “while,” not “whole.”

    At least it passed spellcheck …

    🙂