“Get Out the Vet” to face down voter intimidation
Former special operations troops are going into Philadelphia today to counteract the effect of any Black Panther folks who might be tempted to repeat their performance of the last election there and try to intimidate voters since the Justice Department doesn’t seem willing to protect voters, according to the Philly Post;
Former Navy Captain Benjamin Brink is leading the operation. “The nation saw the video of members of the Black Panthers in Philadelphia intimidating people trying to vote in 2008,” Brink told me when I interviewed him during my radio show on IQ 106.9. “We are going to try and make certain that nothing like that happens this year.”
Brink claims to have over a hundred former Army Rangers, Navy Seal, Delta Force, Green Berets and others who have volunteered for duty. The idea of Navy Seals and Black Panthers getting into it at a Philly polling site gives a whole new incentive for casting a ballot. “Our guys aren’t easily intimidated,” adds Brink.
Don’t let the bravado fool you. The mission, according to the Captain, is to observe and report, not to engage. “We are going to watch for intimidation, videotape it, if possible, and report it to the proper authorities.”
Although Philadelphia will be one of the cities where the organization “Get Out the Vet” will have poll watchers, they’ll be spread out across the country. Brink claims that you probably won’t notice the folks watching your polling place “These men are trained to be ghosts”.
Thanks to Barnabas for the link.
November 6th, 2012 at 7:22 am
Simply brilliant!
I hope that skinny little, foul mouthed, club carrying, Black Panther punk shows up and tries to intimidate one of these men … and someone captures it on video tape.
Now there is a CNN news clip I will watch!
November 6th, 2012 at 7:40 am
I’m going to video tape where ever I am…Ben Jealous is causing problems in Durham, NC by claiming whites are intimidating blacks and it.just.ain’t.happening. This guy is just hoping he can create problems.
November 6th, 2012 at 8:12 am
Calm heads for all hands, please.
Mike
November 6th, 2012 at 8:32 am
I don’t expect to see much of that where I go to vote, but in Chicago? — oooh! yikes! What if Chicago is so desperate to get Dem votes that they only hand out ballots with Dem candidates on them? I’ve heard of stranger things.
November 6th, 2012 at 8:39 am
Upside to being stationed so close to Philly, it will be on local news all day once it starts.
November 6th, 2012 at 8:42 am
Ballot box tampering in Chicago — classic!!
http://www.wgntv.com/news/elections/wgntv-election-judges-fired-after-allegations-of-tampering-20121105,0,1257211.story
November 6th, 2012 at 9:25 am
Black Panthers are at the polling stations in Philly already.
November 6th, 2012 at 9:30 am
Yep, just saw some pics.
November 6th, 2012 at 9:35 am
@7: 4 of them were photographed outside the main entrance to a polling place in Cleveland, yesterday.
November 6th, 2012 at 9:40 am
No voter intimidation there at all. Nope.
November 6th, 2012 at 9:53 am
Meh. This kind of thing would make me more likely to vote.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:02 am
The new black panthers are back at the same polling place they were at in 2008 http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/11/06/just-in-member-of-new-black-panther-party-watches-philadelphia-polling-place/
November 6th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Eric Holder is not available for comment.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Of course they are. This is what happens when the Attorney General refuses to prosecute “his people” for federal crimes. We get more of the same.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:08 am
If they continue to smile and open doors for little old ladies, I have no problem with them being there. But, it’s good to know that we have friends there monitoring the monitors.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:15 am
Uh oh, remember “ghost” is code word for racist… so is veteran, seal, ranger, military, and any other word that the new black panthers deems is against them. Because we all know the NBP is all about peace, love, and communism!
November 6th, 2012 at 10:30 am
Not intimidating to you or I, but what about a 18 year old college kid or 80 year old lady? No one should be at the polling locations but polling employees.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:50 am
I said there will be difficulties today, not just AT the polls, but also GETTING to the polls. Here’s one sample.
http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-new-polling-places-create-confusion-in-cook-county-20121106,0,4483868.story
November 6th, 2012 at 10:54 am
Confusion in Cook County? No – say it ain’t so!!
November 6th, 2012 at 11:12 am
Can’t believe this is happening again — appalling.
November 6th, 2012 at 11:15 am
I’m certain that there will be similar reports through the entire state of Illinois.
Before I forget to mention it, Duckworth has been slamming her GOP opponent, Walsh, for weeks, so much so that his own mostly-grown children went on TV and demanded that she quit lying about him and get off his back.
Politics as usual in the great corn-fed state of Illinois. I shall check things down in Bloomington, Decatur, and points south.
November 6th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Just to show that only a few things have changed since the Eisenhower days in downstate Illinois:
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/herald-review.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/a4/1a43ab72-0bf9-11e2-9cbd-0019bb2963f4/5069e65953fa6.preview-620.jpg
November 6th, 2012 at 11:28 am
The caption didn’t travel with that photo:
1951: Since 1885, Lake City residents have met in the general store at Lake City to exchange news and discuss the world situation while doing a bit of shopping. Sam Dawson, store owner, sits at the right chatting with two customers, Kenneth Ping, left, and Everett Ault, half brother of one of the store’s founders. (H&R file photo)
November 6th, 2012 at 11:33 am
Does CAPT Bailey know about/approve of this group?
If he don’t, I certainly won’t…
November 6th, 2012 at 11:38 am
More importantly @24, do we give a rat’s ass if he doesn’t?
Hmmmm…Magic 8-Ball says, “Go eat a fat bag of dicks, troll.”
Go get a fork.
November 6th, 2012 at 11:41 am
To put things in perspective about Illinois, from the Bloomington Pantagraph “How Time Flies”:
100 years ago
Nov. 6, 1912: Woodrow Wilson was elected President of the United States over President William Howard Taft. Wilson carried McLean County, which is rare for a Democrat. Crowds gathered outside The Pantagraph and Bulletin buildings to watch projected returns.
75 years ago
Nov. 6, 1937: Dan Patch, the famous race horse, had several sons. One of them, Dan Directum, lives on the John Kent farm north of Gridley. “Little Dan” is 23 years old and has been at Kent’s for the past 15 years. Like his father, “Little Dan” was a pacer in his time.
50 years ago
Nov. 6, 1962: Central Illinois people ingested an estimated 1.44 million calories in the fight against polio. The calories were in about 160,000 sugar cubes containing the doses of the Sabin oral vaccine. There will be a makeup day for people who missed.
25 years ago
Nov. 6, 1987: The State of Illinois still has no official fossil. Governor Thompson has vetoed a bill that would have made the tully monster the official fossil of the state of Illinois. Lawmakers’ efforts to override the veto fell short.
Just want you all to know that we out here in the cornfields have our priorities straight.
November 6th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Weasel Zippers is showing that there is a huge mural painted on a wall inside a Philly Polling place.
Republican Poll inspectors were being forced out until a judge ruled to let them back in.
They are seriously trying to steal this election.
November 6th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Black Panthers in Ohio as well. And this report from Wendy Long in NY:
“This morning when I went to vote, a poll worker who was at the scanner, studied my private ballot and proceeded to tell me that it was rejected because I did not ‘fill in every space.’ She then proceeded to indicate that I should mark the Democratic line all the way down.
The poll worker said, ‘you have to fill in all of THESE, all the way down,” indicating the whole line at the far left of the ballot, saying ‘you can’t leave any blank.’”
I said, “I’m sorry, but that just can’t be the case …. that would force me to vote for people I don’t want to vote for.” She insisted again, that every office had to be filled out or the ballot would be rejected. And I said again “I don’t want to vote for those people!”
I protested again and said that I wanted to feed my ballot into the scanner as I had filled it out. She eventually relented saying ‘well you can TRY it’ — meaning she would allow me to put it in the scanner.
It obviously worked.
I had just remarked to all the poll workers, before I filled in my ballot, that we were all very fortunate to have heat and water and electricity.
It is heartbreaking, especially in these trying times for New York City with thousands of voters displaced from their homes and their polling locations, that poll workers would behave in this way, and through intent or ignorance, work to distort the outcome of an election and violate an individual’s right to vote for whomever he or she chooses.
I urge all voters to know your rights when you vote.
You can ask for help in how to operate the scanner, but your ballot is private and cannot and should not be inspected.
You do not have to vote in every office, or fill in every oval. Vote only for the candidates whom YOU want to vote for.
Finally, question authority – poll workers are there to help you to vote, not to tell you how vote. If one crosses the line, contact the Attorney General’s Office or your local Board of Elections.”
November 6th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Eh, given an equal question of who is more intimidating, some random Black Panther and some random SOF guy, I’d lean towards the SOF guy. That doesn’t mean they’ll be actively trying to intimidate people, but it can happen. On either side. Let’s just ease up on the panic and fear and let people vote.
As an amusing side note, this story made me laugh – a group called ‘True the Vote’ apparently was so concerned with fair elections that they… may have forged signatures:
http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/19334
(Yes, they’re conservative – let’s not pretend that that means they’re immune from moments of pure idiocy if this is indeed true.)
November 6th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
More shadiness…
Philly GOP: Poll inspectors being ousted for Dems
http://washingtonexaminer.com/philly-gop-poll-inspectors-being-ousted-for-dems/article/2512714#.UJkm9sXA-4d
November 6th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
@27, I believe it was 70 Republican poll workers that got the boot.
@29, It don’t matter what party they are from. If they attempt voter fraud they need to pay the price.
November 6th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
@Twist I don’t remember the number of workers but it was within several wards and were being replaced with democratic workers.
November 6th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Look at the picture at this link. This is at a polling site: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/06/judge-issuing-order-to-reinstate-booted-philadelphia-election-officials/
November 6th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Nik, the judge should order that polling site moved. Where’s Instupid, I’m sure he’d tell us this is all perfectly legal.
November 6th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
I believe that was in one of the polling places that the Republicans were being forced out.
November 6th, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Hundreds of former senior military leaders have taken out an ad in Monday’s Washington Times newspaper declaring their support for Republican Mitt Romney, a rare if not unprecedented action in the final days of a presidential campaign.
“We, the undersigned, proudly support Governor Mitt Romney as our nation’s next President and Commander-in-Chief,” says the advertisement, which is signed by some 500 retired flag and general officers representing major branches of the U.S. military.
James J. Carey, a retired Navy rear admiral, told friends and colleagues in a written message that it was important for the group “to take a public stand on how very important it is that our fellow Americans choose a new Commander-in-Chief” on Tuesday. Carey is national chairman of the National Defense Committee.
The dissatisfaction with Obama among many former military leaders runs the gamut — from his handling of the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, to his possible allowing of billions of dollars in prospective defense cuts, to his presiding over a dour economy over the last four years, according to interviews with two local signatories.
Retired Rear Adm. George K. Worthington, a former SEAL commander, noted the deaths of two ex-SEALs among the four killed during the consulate attack in Lybia. The former SEALs, both government contractors, were Glen Doherty of Encinitas and Tyrone Woods of Imperial Beach.
November 6th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Obama will win the 2012 Presidential Election. Polls and Opinions were always irrelevant in this Election.
.
The only chance that Conservatives ever had to win the 2012 Presidential Election was to nominate a minority candidate like Herman Cain or Marco Rubio. With Obama in office, no conservative could ever possibly be elected unless they were Black or Hispanic. Republicans needed to find a credible Minority candidate for President…they did not… so they will lose this Election.
You can listen to political analysis all day long. They will NEVER state the real reason why Obama won this 2012 Election. It is Politically Incorrect to say Obama won….. because his opponent Romney was White…..but that is the indisputable fact.
Americans NEVER would have tolerated the Benghazi farce with a White President…it would have been 100 times worse then Watergate. Nobody died in Watergate…yet Nixon was forced to resign.
If Obama was White he would never get re-elected based on his record and rhetoric. There is no way to overcome Obama’s Blackness…. and his Black and Minority supporters wanting to give him a second chance. The United States Affirmative Action Policy means that Blacks are held to lower performance standards in education and employement…so why should the Presidents job be any different?
Obama Supporters know that Obama’s Economic Policies were ineffective. The majority of jobs were created for and by the Government.
Obama supporters use this logic: “Obama needs more time.” (it sounds to me as an excuse for a mentally challenged individual),
.I have listened to Black people give reasons why they are voting for Obama in 2012. I have not heard any reason that is based on fact or the truth. It is a vote of Skin Color Solidarity.
I understand this reasoning. In fact I support it. If I had Black Skin Color…. I would have voted for Obama in both 2008 and 2012.
I just want the National Media (and the Voters) to be up front and honest. Whi not just come out and say what everybody already knows. This is why race relations will not improve. Nobody ever wants to confront or admit these truths.
Obama said :VOTE FOR REVENGE!
Revenge against who? Romney is a private citizen and does not hold any political office.
Did Obama leave out: “Vote for Revenge… against White People?”
Today, the Black Panthers are in full paramilitary uniform. They are standing outside the Polling Places doing a meet and greet. The Black Panthers in 2008 stated things like: “white devil” “you’re about to be ruled by the black man”. and much worse. The Administration did not feel this was wrong. They did not stop this in 2008… and will not stop this today.
Some Pundits have compared this Presidential Race to Reagan-Carter…where the incumbent was defeated.
The situation in 2012 is completely different. In 1980 it was White against White. In 2012 it is White against Black. An Obama win in 2012 will be based on skin color.
All Americans know this…but they will never say it.
November 6th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Sparky-
WTH dude? No troll here. I just don’t trust someone, anyone, on the last week/days with something like this. Claiming to have these SOF dudes lined up for this. Yeah, he can ‘claim’ all he wants. I just think other similar entities would have made notice and endorsed or commented, that’s all…
November 6th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
And people wonder why Americans are very jaded on the election process. Election judge wearing a very non-partisan hat to the proceedings.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/election-judge-wears-obama-cap-while-checking-voters-obamas-chicago-ward_661843.html
November 6th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
@37 White Americans are the majority in 49 of the 50 states, I believe. The problem isn’t that a white candidate couldn’t win, it’s that Romney isn’t a strong candidate. There’s no question he’s a decent businessman, and I imagine a decent human being, but this is the same man who, in the primaries, Republicans were running from.
We’ll see how it turns out, but I’m very curious how you think a white Republican couldn’t win when white voters dominate in all but one states?
November 6th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
@ Twist: I’m in complete agreement. Fraud of any kind, by either party, is a bad thing. And some is bound to happen, unfortunately, but the hope is its overzealous idiots on either side and not something systemic.
For every example posted here of strange things happening, I’m quite sure I can find a matching example over at some liberal site. I hope, either way, the victory is clear enough that we’re not seeing chaos come midnight or thereafter.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
I suspect rather strongly, given the auto-recount in some states, that we won’t know by midnight PST.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
These former SOF guys aren’t going to be intimidating….because nobody will even know they are there.
That’s kinda their forte…
November 6th, 2012 at 2:22 pm
And for those who want a break from all the election mayhem, here’s a bizarre yet interesting story about the pilot of the F117 pilot who was shot down in Serbia… and how he’s friends with the guy who shot him down:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20209770
November 6th, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Wow, Nik, just wow. I’m pretty sure that this is going to be a close election and that tonight will not decide the Presidency. I have a feeling we are in for weeks of recounts not matter which side is declared victor tonight.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
I was refering to your link, but it looks like with what you posted in #42 while I was typing, is that we are in agreement.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
@Nik: I’ll actually take that bet. If Obama takes Ohio, Colorado and Iowa, which I expect he will, he’ll win. The important one there is Ohio, which if he takes by more than 1% does not trigger a recount (I think?).. and I think he’ll have 1.4-1.8%. At that point, recounts in other states don’t matter. If FL goes Romney, it still isn’t enough.
What other states do people think will be in the margin where a recount happens? FL and OH were the two I see, with FL being more likely but unnecessary if the scenario above plays out.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
VA, you can request a recount. PA has a recount law in play as I understand it.
And, there are paths to 270 that don’t include Ohio. They’re more difficult, but it is possible.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
Update on the Mural thing. Strangely enough, it seems Common Sense prevailed.
http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/breaking-news/judge-days-mural-must-be-covered-click-to-read-why-didn-t-they-just-do-it-did-it-really-take-a-judge/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnewsinsider%2Fgretawire+%28Gretawire%29
November 6th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Strange things have happened. In 2000 If Bush hadn’t of won Alaska he would have been sitting at 268 and Gore would have been sitting at 269 electoral votes.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
If anyone is wondering how the crowd at DU is doing, they are already having a meltdown and making excuses for if Obama loses. Top of the list is voter surrpession and voting machines.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
@48: Possible, yes. Unlikely based on what I’ve seen in the polls, but this will be a moot discussion in about 10 hours. For anyone interested, here’s an page with the key swings states that shows the paths to victory:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/02/us/politics/paths-to-the-white-house.html
PA and VA won’t matter if the above scenario (in my opinion, one of the more likely ones) plays out. Again, we’ll see soon enough, but that’s my feeling.
November 6th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
IF an OH recount is in play, here we go:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/us/politics/ohio-law-could-bring-long-delays-in-a-recount.html?_r=0
November 6th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Regarding the mural situation….nevermind.
http://cdn.gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-Shot-2012-11-06-at-2.06.27-PM.png?9d7bd4
November 6th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Nuttin makes me feels better den saysing I am vet. Its gould to be a vet cause yous gets free stuf. Like tuffesses, I glassis, and udder stuff. So whens eyes votes for OBAMA twoday, eyes wills bees thinking ofs yous all!
November 6th, 2012 at 3:22 pm
OH ,,, won udder ting: BAMMA PHONE … YOU KNOW … FU*K ROMNEE!
November 6th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Oh, boys and girls, thanks for asking about my adventures in voting today.
Well, children, around 11AM my time, I put on my jacket, picked up my purse, made sure my cell phone was working, and got into the car and went to the police station. Now, why, you ask, did I go to the police station.
Well, that’s because that’s where the polling place is. No, Johnny, polling doesn’t have anything to do with the poh-lease beating people up. The polling places are where people go to vote.
Now, I think we talked about intimidation. That’s trying to scare people. And we talked about electioneering. That’s advertising in the polling place. No, Mary Ann, there wasn’t anyone there with baseball bats or flamethrowers, even though I did say I might take my flamethrower along, just as a precaution. No, there were a lot of people making sure that you were a registered voter, that you could prove you were who you say you are, and that you were able to find your way to the ballot desk, where you get a ballot and a cardboard holder for it, and someone tells you it has two sides to it, and gives you a pen to use to vote.
Then you go put marks in the little ovals and make sure that you read what’s on the ballot before you fill in those little ovals. What was on the ballot? Well, there were five candidates for President and one blank spot for a write-in vote, where you can write in the name of someone else you’d rather vote for. Yes, Johnny, I almost did vote for myself.
There was also a referendum for an amendment to the US Constitution to give constitutional rights ONLY to HUMANS, and not to include businesses and legal entities. And there was the referendum about the vote on increasing state pensions, which means they have to ask people about it first.
Then I put my ballot in the ballot machine and gave the nice lady the pen and the cardboard folder, and I went home and made some chicken soup for lunch. So when you get old enough to vote, you can do all these things, too. You can even vote for yourself.
What, Mary Ann? Do I think the president voted for himself? Well, of course he did, Mary Ann. Who else would he vote for?
November 6th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
@55 & 56
Was that an attempt at humor. Fell flat.
November 6th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Some of us don’t think it will even be close. Suspect that Romney will blow it out big time. Of course, since the libs believe what the media feeds them (not that it is in the media’s interests to maintain to the bitter end that it is a close election no matter what they must do to skew the “polls” to make it appear thusly), they will never believe tha actual vote unless it is close and their guy wins. That’s what they have been programmed to believe.
Would not be surprised if Romney gets over 300 electoral votes, perhaps as many as 310?
November 6th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
I’m just hoping that Cutter follows through with her statement if Romney wins.
November 6th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
@ NIK … I agree that guys Satire usually does fall flat!
November 6th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
@59: As a liberal-leaning independent, I’ll take that bet. My inclination is that the media wants to make it more of a race, yes, and thus has done so by making ROMNEY seem more competitive than he is. I don’t have particularly strong feelings either way, though, so I won’t be in disbelief if that doesn’t come to pass.
How about a friendly gentleman’s bet? Loser makes a small donation to Soldier’s Angels. I’m predicting an Obama win.
(I like my relative anonymity, so I won’t post a check image, but I’m happy to send it on to you and you can then send it in if my word is taken with a grain of salt.)
Whoever loses, SA wins. Deal?
November 6th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Sounds like something which would be a good deal (for SA) if I was one to wager. But I do not wager. At all. On anything. Maybe someone else will take you up on that?
The group that sat home during the last general election (and who I hold personally responsible for the mess we are in today because they did so) are the evangelicals. Have heard that something over 30 million, perhaps closer to 40 million, are now energized to vote for Romney who sat it out last time. That is a huge voting block.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
They didn’t realize how much they were affected by elections till they spent four years paying for other people’s goods.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Umm…not sure how it deals with betting with the proceeds going to charity, but betting on the Presidential Election is illegal.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Well, I said things would happen to make it difficult for people to even get to the polls to vote, and here is something that has never before happened in Chicago politics:
http://www.wbez.org/news/traffic-brings-down-chicago-board-elections-website-103683
The public can’t get access to find out where to go to vote.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Sad:
http://gizmodo.com/5958141/america-people-are-googling-who-is-running-for-president-right-up-to-the-end?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_facebook&utm_source=gizmodo_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
November 6th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
@65: I hadn’t realized that. Well, no bet then. And I’ll donate to SA regardless of who wins. My main point was that I hold a decent confidence in the polling and thus in an Obama victory, which is at odds with that of most people here, it seems.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
@68
Fair enough. You’ve stated your opinion. You haven’t called anyone morons or the like who disagree with you. That’s all fair and good in my book.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
@ #29-Anonymous: Your comment concerning True The Vote is rather inaccurate as evidenced by Catherine Engelbrecht’s statement regarding Ohio.
Catherine Engelbrecht, the founder and head of TTV stated:
“These allegations by the Ohio Democratic Party are dangerous and offensive, the facts are simple: no citizen volunteer– including Jan Loar, or anyone else trained by True the Vote–took any action that was either illegal or unethical, particularly as it pertains to the placement of poll watchers. Ms. Loar has conducted herself with the utmost integrity. To state otherwise is blatant slander.”
Read more at the link. I can and will vouch for Catherine’s integrity. She is part of the King Street Patriots, Houston, Texas and worked her tail off to get True The Vote up and running.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
You may all like this slideshow about voting today, particularly slide #31, of Gov. Jerry Brown (CA) and the dog, as well as the surfer who brought his board with him to the polling place.
http://www.weather.com/news/election-day-photo-slideshow-nov-6-20121106
November 6th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
More antics:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/nov/6/picket-gop-poll-watcher-detroit-threatened-gun-911/
November 6th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
@70: Let’s wait and see. It’s entirely possible this is just typical election day shenanigans and the claims of forged signatures are ignorance or agenda, but as a left-leaning independent, I’m not terribly fond of the way True the Vote is said to operate.
And that’s not a statement against Ms. Engelbrecht. I have a good deal of confidence she’s simply trying to curb what she sees as a problem, and one which she sees as possibly impacting what some feel to be the most important election ever. It seems like all of them are like that these days. However, based on what I’ve read about TtV and its off-shoot it seems like there’s been some sliding down a slippery slope from blocking voters who are registered to vacant lots -an understandable concern- and blocking college students who listed their dorm but not necessarily their room number.
This may be one of those legally-acceptable things, but whether that makes it right is a different story. In effect, they target liberal voters – and, understandably, since they think that’s where the fraud comes from. But to someone like me, someone who is anti-fraud but feels these partisan efforts inflict too much ‘friendly fire’ (meaning to valid voters, not conservative voters), then I have problems with it. Your politics are different, so maybe you disagree.
Apparently there is going to be an investigation; let’s see if that gets dropped or proceeds, and go from there. I’ll add that I did say ‘may’ in the original — I certainly don’t think the Democrats are above dirty tricks like this could be, I just don’t think True the Vote is either.
November 6th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Meanwhile, the local call-in radio station here has had two callers who showed up to vote today and were told that they already had voted. They both sounded like older men (and neither said for whom they wished to vote) with legitimate concerns. Scary stuff, even in this little place.
November 6th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
This lady is indeed anxious to get her vote in:
http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-dolton-woman-votes-while-in-labor-20121106,0,5390140.story
November 6th, 2012 at 7:15 pm
You know Ex-PH2, I don’t care who that woman votes for. You have got to respect that dedication.
November 6th, 2012 at 7:15 pm
And just to show that technology screw up happens in non-partisan ways, here’s video of a vote for Obama flipping to Romney. These things happen, everyone. They shouldn’t, but they do, and individual incidents are not necessarily indicative of major fraud on either side.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/11/06/voting_machine_turns_obama_votes_into_romney_votes.html
Relax, vote, and let’s see what the night brings.
November 6th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
@ #73- Remain as anonymouse as you wish but, I get the feeling Ah….I understand what you are up to now. In fact, I am sure of it. Casting as much doubt as you can ya know, enough to chip away at the credibility of True the Vote and Catherine Elgelbrecht. Correct?
See how that worked? I used and sent you to the referenced info you are apparently relying on from that contaminated cesspool that is known to be edited by far left loons, felons and ex-cons that inhabit Wikipedia.
I’ll SWAG things a bit more, and also suspect that you are an Elijah Cummings supporter. Since he’s the one leading the investigation into the offshoot group you are referencing, Ohio Voter Integrity Project. Right? And so, in another way you also hope it’ll be useful for you in downplaying the efforts of Get Out the Vet…
November 6th, 2012 at 8:12 pm
@77, I’m glad you put in that link. The rumors and stories were weird enough, but that confirms what I said is going to happen today. There are more occurrences to come, including conspiracy theories that last until 2015, charges of fraud, traffic jams, breakdown in electronics and electrical equipment, commitment that come to nothing, and freak accidents. Communications will go awry, e-mails, faxes, letters — all delayed, misinterpreted or blocked; memory lapses, confusion, failing to confirm — also applies to electronic memories, i.e., computers and electronic voting machines.
A major upset, an unexpected outcome, a change of course are all possible, and can (amongst other possibilities) coincide with efforts to alter the reported results through behind-the-scenes maneuvers by powerful or secretive groups of people who may even have criminal intentions. (Think Watergate and the White House burglars.)
If Romney gets elected (very possible), the results may not be accepted by a large portion of the population, and extreme civil unrest is very possible, so be prepared for it if Romney is elected. Not paranoid, just think ahead.
If Obama gets re-elected (also very possible), he will not have a full term in office this time. Impeachment is possible, also failing health is a possibility. I posted a long dissertation about this elsewhere, in regard to his smoking habit. Whether or not he stopped is immaterial. You never really discard the side-effects of smoking. His distance from the legislature also has long-term side-effects. It’s entirely likely that we will see more gridlock until or unless Obama is gone from the White House.
We are very likely with Obama to see more extremism and major incidents that change the course of events in the world, and we already know that Obama is simply not up to the task of dealing with those kinds of events. I sent myself an e-mail on 10/15 speculating that we would see conflict in eastern Turkey between the Turks and Syria. This has already happened, and there is more to come. There is the very real possibility of real, hard core war in the Middle East ramping up within 18 months from now.
The election results will take several weeks to months to settle. It’s also possible that the networks themselves may have breaks in communication throughout the night’s broadcast.
November 6th, 2012 at 8:17 pm
@79: You’re welcome to think this is some concerted effort to tarnish the reputation of TtV and Ms. Engelbrecht, but in truth it’s just my honest opinion. And, as I said, I’m sure Ms. Engelbrecht is a wonderful, caring woman with the best of intentions.
Yes, certainly, I relied on Wikipedia — I don’t have personal knowledge of these events. Like I said, I’ll keep an open mind, but my liberal leanings leave me inclined to be distrustful of such groups, just as yours leave you inclined to trust them, and not trust liberal groups.
That’s all. No grand conspiracy.
I don’t even know who Elijah Cummings is outside of the news of the investigation. I’m all for people to vote legitimately, regardless of political party. That’s one of the few joys of this election for an independent who doesn’t see it as the end of the world either way.
Take it as you will.
November 6th, 2012 at 8:23 pm
@Anonymous, please get your posting numbers straight.
I’m @79. And I did not say anything about you or tarnishing someone’s rep.
November 6th, 2012 at 8:26 pm
@79: Some liberal groups have already been crying foul over the (admittedly strange) last-minute, unofficial ‘patches’ to voting machines in Ohio. I don’t expect it’s a grand conspiracy, since doing it so in such a public fashion would be the height of idiocy, but nevertheless, lawsuits have already ensued.
That said, I’ll disagree with you on your predictions – I think Romney’s chances are ‘possible’, but not ‘very possible’, and if Obama wins, I don’t see impeachment happening. Plus he’s got the best healthcare imaginable. My opinion, and it’s just that, is you’ll have four more years. I’m actually predicting Obama will win, tonight, with ~300-310 EVs, and that Ohio will be >1% and thus not subject -I think?- to automatic recounts.
Time will tell – the networks are already in full frenzy mode.
November 6th, 2012 at 8:28 pm
@81 My apologies; post #80 was obviously intended for streetsweeper.
November 8th, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Did “Get Out The Vet” find any evidence of anything more intimidating than seven hour lines?
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