Scandal update: New Hampshire AG identifies firm behind anti-Mormon push poll; Update: We suspect Romney, says McCain advisor
posted at 4:16 pm on January 3, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Geraghty sends up a flare. Your culprit: An Oregon firm called Moore-Information that’s done polling work for Republicans out west, including … Ron Paul. I find the coincidence between this news and the rumors of the big Mitt scandal that are swirling today to be mighty curious, but per the AG’s press release, it looks like there won’t be any more action in the case until January 16th. Joe Carter, Huckabee’s research director, hinted news would break before the primary on the 8th, so unless someone’s about to come forward and drop a bombshell about who it was who retained Moore to do the push poll, the two scoops probably aren’t related to each other.
America’s Greatest Patriot wouldn’t do something this shady, would he?
Update: Not only are the gloves off, the brass knuckles are on.
“If you look at their list of clients, they’re all Republicans. … They’re a Republican operation, they weren’t hired by Hillary Clinton,” said Chuck Douglas, a former congressman who is a top McCain adviser in New Hampshire.
“It’s obvious it’s one of the presidential campaigns. We’ve long suspected – and still suspect – it’s Gov. Romney who wanted to test the Mormon issue and McCain’s record and see what messages would work. It’s up to that campaign and all the others to just say a very simple statement. It has to come from the top of their campaigns: ‘We had nothing directly or indirectly to do with this 260-page report or the 400 questionnaires that were filled out.’”
Team Mitt says no way.
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Ron Paul seems more of the type to do something overblown and hyperbolic than something lowdown and shady.
The man has a blimp for cripes sake. Ron Paul will easily be the nuttiest candidate in election history.
BKennedy on January 3, 2008 at 4:18 PM
McCain? hmmmmm. He’s certainly angry enough.
BacaDog on January 3, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Why would somebody who received zero benefit from this even do it in the first place? Ron Paul’s brilliant low life politicking stood the chance to take him from zero chance of winning to… uh… zero chance of winning. I don’t get it.
Zetterson on January 3, 2008 at 4:22 PM
If you mean Ron Paul? Who knows, but that seems unlikely. Expenditure for minimal gain – makes no sense for his campaign.
McCain and Huck however, well it makes sense there. McCain is though, one of the complainants so that would normally leave Huck holding the bag. Rudy is unlikely in my view because it is in a state he isn’t looking to compete in.
Spirit of 1776 on January 3, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Of course, the response, whoever it is that’s implicated, will be “I’m not responsible for what my supporters do. I had no knowledge.” etc., etc.
CP on January 3, 2008 at 4:28 PM
When does a “push pool” become “shady”?
The main stream media, and all the blogs I’ve read, absolutely refuse to allow Romney’s Mormonism to be questioned in any way, shape, or form. Anyone who does so is called a bigot.
How can the electorate learn what a Mormon is, what they believe in, and what the basic beliefs are of the man they may vote for for President if everyone refuses to talk about it and vilifies anyone who brings it up?
If Mitt Romney is the Republican nominee for President, the fact that he’s a Mormon will be front and center. As it should be. The fact that he refuses to discuss his religion has nothing to do with it not being relevant, and everything to do with how all Mormons operate. They won’t talk about their religion because they know they can’t. It’s too dumb.
Only stupid Mormons talk about it. The smart ones know enough to keep quiet and call anybody who questions them a bigot.
Jaynie59 on January 3, 2008 at 4:32 PM
As long as we’re throwing out every whacked-out scenario possible, or at least as long as I am, we should include Romney himself. It’s the secret double reverse psychology play–he bounces on the sympathy vote as clearly somebody is playing dirty pool, and it couldn’t be him.
Or could it????!!!!11!!??
TexasDan on January 3, 2008 at 4:37 PM
When does a “push pool” become “shady”?
The main stream media, and all the blogs I’ve read, absolutely refuse to allow Romney’s Mormonism to be questioned in any way, shape, or form. Anyone who does so is called a bigot.
Jaynie59 on January 3, 2008 at 4:32 PM
asc85 on January 3, 2008 at 4:39 PM
In Republican election history. He hasn’t yet seen a UFO while partying with Shirley MacLaine.
Buford on January 3, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Whoops! Screwed up my “quotes” on my 4:39 post. I think you get what I was trying to do…I hope.
asc85 on January 3, 2008 at 4:40 PM
See, this crap is the reason the mindless drunkard Hitchens still has a job. He lives off calling other people’s beliefs stupid and making them answer for what his ilk neither tries to nor has any interest in actually understanding.
Superman wore his underwear on the outside, yet no-one is talking about how stupid Cryptonians are for believing their planet was destroyed by a malevolent robot.
Batman went around at night in a cape sucker punching bad guys because his family was kiled by a mad gunman, and noone questions his fiendish cult of the darkness or insane obsession with nearly-blind winged mammals.
I could talk to you about how prodound and strange the trinity is, but you’d probably think I’m crazy.
Newsflash: As a devout Catholic, basically everyone running is a heretic in my view. It’s a good thing I’m not electing them pastor though.
BKennedy on January 3, 2008 at 4:40 PM
TexasDan, I’ll bite. Here’s my question on that though. The old adage is never ask a question you don’t know the answer to. If Mitt were to do this at that stage in the campaign, he would have had to be certain it would only end up a significant net plus. Do you think conversation on religious prejudice is a net plus for him?
Spirit of 1776 on January 3, 2008 at 4:41 PM
UFO Kucinich is out there but his insanity extends only to intergalactic madness. Socialism is unfortunately rather common on earth. Ron Paul is crazy on earth and in space, and unlike Kucinich has managed to amass millions and break two percent. Ron Paul is wacky because he actually mattered in some small, insane way. Kucinich is just another irrelevant moron.
BKennedy on January 3, 2008 at 4:43 PM
You know, I’d really wish some of you would realize that being LDS is not, a priori, a sign that someone is “dumb” or “stupid.”
It’s really offensive, you know that? Of course, you don’t care, because as I’ve discovered on this site, there’s some “evangelicals” who think that murdering Mormons is still a good thing.
But I resent the implication that I and my fellow believers are dumb, or that I am stupid because I mention my faith. And yeah, I’m talking to you, jaynie59.
Vanceone on January 3, 2008 at 4:48 PM
OHHH ALLLAH- did ya forget to mention Your guy MITT’S connection to the list???
from the list of Moore Information clients at NRO:
Ex-tex on January 3, 2008 at 4:49 PM
The National Republican Senatorial Committee was also a client. Patrick Davis, the former head of that committee, is now in charge of Common Sense Issues, Inc., the pro-Huckabee group that has been doing push polls.
Slublog on January 3, 2008 at 4:51 PM
ITS MCCAIN OR THOMPSON!
Huckabee? Naw…
BKennedy on January 3, 2008 at 4:51 PM
Missed one:
LOOK EVERYONE IT’S RUDY AND ARTHUR BRANCH!
BKennedy on January 3, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Jaynie59, should it be an issue? No. Will it be an issue? Yes. I don’t know if it is going to hurt him in the general or not but, in the end, I don’t care. The way I look at it is if other people have difficulty assessing human potential, competence, discipline, intelligence, basic understanding of world affairs, etc in another human being and instead get all hung up on the particularities of a person’s religion then they have more problems then I do.
Do you think when Mitt Romney was staking out his leadership position at Bain anyone even bothered to question his ability to lead the company because they were hung up on his religion? Of course not. How on earth would his faith have anything to do with how profitable he would make the firm? The bottom line is that it had nothing to do with it. POTUS is no different. His religion should matter zilch as to how competently he will perform as President.
Zetterson on January 3, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Hear hear Vanceone. I too am Mormon. But I must be stupid. Never mind the graduate degree, professional career as a wildlife biologist, fluency in Russian (thanks to a mission to Ukraine), 10 years as an Army Guardsman with a tour in Iraq. All that means nothing. I’m stupid and believe Jesus and Satan are brothers.
thomashton on January 3, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Neither is bein’ a Fredneck.
Ex-tex on January 3, 2008 at 5:00 PM
First guess would be the Huckster. He cut his teeth on Arkansas politics and had some good teachers, the Clintons.
Second guess would be somebody from the Paulbot regiment.
LakeRuins on January 3, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Now that’s a bridge too far! (Totally joking)
Spirit of 1776 on January 3, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Remember the blimp?
conservnut on January 3, 2008 at 5:03 PM
Push polls aren’t just questioning his religion. They’re essentially telemarketing campaigns under the guise of just taking polls. Their goal is to insert slanted information about the opponents, pretending to be only presenting the facts while asking the “poll” question.
amerpundit on January 3, 2008 at 5:04 PM
I agree. Also, I am Mormon and I Fredhead. Yes, it can happen.
thomashton on January 3, 2008 at 5:06 PM
I said only the dumb Mormons talk about being Mormon. There are smart Mormons out there and they are smart enough to not talk about the details. Because the details are really, really dumb.
Most Mormons are smart enough to know how dumb it is, or at least how dumb it sounds, so they won’t talk about it.
Just take the high road and do what the smart Mormons do. Refuse to talk about any of the really crazy details and call anyone who criticizes LDS a bigot. That’s the only way to go.
Even the Christians will defend you if you keep it all hazy because most of them have no idea what Mormons believe, either. So they’ll call anyone who is against Mormonism a bigot in your defense. Well, they’re really doing it in their own defense because what they believe is also dumb and they know it, so they have to defend Mormons because they assume Mormonism isn’t dumber that Christianity.
Jaynie59 on January 3, 2008 at 5:08 PM
The blimp is independent of the Paul campaign.
Spirit of 1776 on January 3, 2008 at 5:09 PM
This isn’t so crazy. The LDS vote went big for Perot in 92. (at least in Nevada they did) RP is a protest vote just like paul was.
csdeven on January 3, 2008 at 5:13 PM
YES!!!
If we are going to elect our next High Priest (HP) and Religious Leader in Chief (RLC) in the Religious Republic America del Norte (R.R.A.N) how will we know for whom to vote if we don’t slice and dice all the candidates religious views 12 ways to Sunday?
MB4 on January 3, 2008 at 5:13 PM
RP is a protest vote just like Perot was.
csdeven on January 3, 2008 at 5:13 PM
I wouldn’t put it past some group of Paulians maybe doing it. It would have to be a core group of ten or twelve. Are there that many Paulians with enough intelligence to do it?
Dusty on January 3, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Ummm, not all those who hate Romney are bigots, but you definitely are.
davenp35 on January 3, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Jaynie, the last paragraph of Article 6 of the Constitution:
How do you square that with your assertion: “the fact that he’s a Mormon will be front and center. As it should be.”
Spirit of 1776 on January 3, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Jaynie59, I’m neither Morman nor Christian and I don’t think either belief system is “stupid.” To say either religion is “stupid” strikes me as extremely ignorant.
Zetterson on January 3, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Ah, I see. Jayne59, you believe ALL Christianity is dumb… just LDS people are dumber than others.
So, my J.D. is irrelevant. So is thomasashton’s degrees, service, etc.
In fact, let me see… ah, yes. Philo T. Farnsworth, who invented the television and was LDS, was just plain dumb, too.
you see, you called our beliefs “dumb”–ergo, if you believe them, you must be dumb too.
And “Most Mormons” know that the faith is wrong, eh? AndThat’s why it’s growing so fast…. no one believes it!
And we never talk about it…. so much so we only have 60,000 full time missionaries worldwide.
We don’t talk about it much in political spheres, because it is irrelevant.
Well, jayne59… glad to know you have labled every person who believes in Christianity “dumb.” That’s what, probably 500 odd million people in the world. Let’s see…. are all Jews who believe dumb? Hindu’s? Muslims?
Are only Atheists intelligent? Yes, let’s ignore the teachings of Christ as “dumb” for such luminaries as Lenin, Hitler, and Stalin. Those are the premier Atheists I know of… the ones that have been followed the most. Or do you recommend we follow Hitchens and get drunk and unhappy?
You, sir, are a fool. And you are the walking example of why atheists don’t get much traction. I like AP fine, btw.
Vanceone on January 3, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Aren’t you the one who made the jaw-dropping observation that the fact that Fred was running such a lackluster campaign was because he’s smarter than all the other candidates?
Aren’t you the one who just doesn’t get why Ronald Reagan is so revered by conservatives?
Buy Danish on January 3, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Classy. Smart.
Slublog on January 3, 2008 at 5:39 PM
The connection to Ron Paul seem tenuous at best.
bnelson44 on January 3, 2008 at 5:53 PM
Mormons. Is there nothing they can’t do?
billy on January 3, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Hel* no, look at allahpundit.
Ex-tex on January 3, 2008 at 6:11 PM
Shhh! Our secret cabal is lying in wait to force everyone in the world to, you know, do horrible things like eat green jello, watch BYU football, and spend time with their families Every. Single. Monday. Night.
It’s insidious, I tell you! Oh, I also walk on quicksand towing a bulldog with a “Ron Paul rEVOLution” sweater that has a Fred Chewtoy in it’s teeth, while I wear my “Mormons are cultists” shirt I got from Huck’s campaign… err, not from his campaign, wink wink.
We Mormons can even make something called “fry sauce” tasty. If that’s not power, nothing is.
Vanceone on January 3, 2008 at 6:18 PM
Nice. Don’t cross Thompson, or certain of his supporters will resort to ad hominem.
Slublog on January 3, 2008 at 6:21 PM
WITH THE SHAVED CARROIS IN IT!
I KNEW IT!
YOU’LL DOOM US ALL!
BKennedy on January 3, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Fry sauce? Green Jell-O?
If nothing else, being a Mormon sounds like it’s pure terror to the tastebuds.
Slublog on January 3, 2008 at 6:23 PM
It’s not Ron Paul. When have you ever heard Ron Paul attack another candidate? Why would McCain do something he knew was wrong when it was done to him in 2000?
Rudy did it because he doesn’t want Mitt to win, he doesn’t want McCain to win, and he doesn’t want to campaign in the area where he’s on the ballot and he has rallies. It’s Rudy people.
ThackerAgency on January 3, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Make the Osmonds superstars.
Okay.
Jesus and Satan are brothers?
Okay.
BYU football?
Maybe.
Dominate the hotel industry?
Don’t really care,
But spending time with the family, you people are sick.
billy on January 3, 2008 at 6:38 PM
LOL, Slublog: actually, Fry sauce and green Jell-O is more a Utah thing than an LDS thing. Green Jell-O is actually more of a stereotype than anything.
Fry sauce is a regional food peculiarity…. and it’s quite tasty. It’s a sauce to dip your french fries in… lots like it, lots don’t. It’s slowly spreading, though. I personally like it alot.
Another stereotypical LDS food is “funeral potatoes”, or a potato casserole kind of thing–it got it’s name for being made for funerals. It’s cheap, tasty, and can feed a crowd–making it perfect for funerals.
Let’s see–another local thing is scones–deep fried bread, kind of like a doughnut. I’m not sure if it exists elsewhere as much, but Utah has lots of them, and I never saw any when I’ve visited South and East.
Utah has a very scandinavian and british food ancestry; I think we have the highest proportionate amount of Scandinavian and British descent of any state, so those foods dominate. Good bread products, etc. Pioneer food and it’s descendants.
Vanceone on January 3, 2008 at 6:39 PM
The campaigns are all either very confident the source of these push polls will never be revealed or they are just doubling down because they have nothing to lose. I hope they are just doubling down so the truth will come out eventually. Very interesting though to see every camp adamantly denying any involvement in this while simultaneously taking political low blows to the other competing campaigns. I can’t wait to find out who is behind this and I hope we do.
Zetterson on January 3, 2008 at 7:03 PM
Commonwealth PAC ?
bnelson44 on January 3, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Curse you, Vanceone, for mentioning Utah scones.
The Family Tree restaurant in (I think) santaquin, UT serves hot scones the size of a beagle, with about a gallon of the tastiest honey butter west of the Rockies. I took my brother there once, about fifteen years ago.
When I saw him last week for Christmas, he complained that he’s STILL full from that sucker.
Right now, I’m starving.
sulla on January 3, 2008 at 7:11 PM
You must not know many Ron Paul supporters.
bnelson44 on January 3, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Does anyone else enjoy the irony of the McVain campaign making this accusation and yet always being the first campaign to whine about “dirty tricks” (just like it did in 2000)?
Projection Psychology, thy name is McVain.
thirteen28 on January 3, 2008 at 7:17 PM
If these campaigns help Mitt lose today, in part because of these allegations, and then we find out that it wasn’t the Romney campaign, McCain and others will have to apologize. There is a difference between playing politics and intentionally slandering people.
davenp35 on January 3, 2008 at 7:17 PM
Heh, I’m hungry too. Maybe I’ll get some green jello, with pineapple in it for a change. :D
McCain really needs to put up or shut up. If he has proof that Romney did this, then let’s see it.
Otherwise, so much for the high-minded “Romney’s the only one who negative campaigns” narrative.
Vanceone on January 3, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Whoa. Does this mean McCain’s camp did the push-polling on McCain’s supposed illegitimate daughter during the last campaign? Those sly foxes.
NTWR on January 3, 2008 at 7:23 PM
Romney has been taking viscious, personal attacks on him with grace for a while now. Eventually these comments by Huckabee and the McCain campaign and anti-Mormon bigots will come back to bite them.
davenp35 on January 3, 2008 at 7:25 PM
It’s Huckabee’s camp playing the McCain camp while pointing out Mitt’s camp while Rudy dresses in drag for camp while Thompson just camps out while.
SouthernGent on January 3, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Update: I suspect McCain, says me. Whatever it is, you name it, I suspect him of being behind it.
MB4 on January 3, 2008 at 7:57 PM
McCain and Huckabee sittin in a tree k.i.s.s.i.n.g.
The alliance between Johnnie and Mikey has been glaring for its syrupy fur balls passed back and forth like preteens in love.
The hate object in they’re made up triangle..Mitt.
Speakup on January 3, 2008 at 7:57 PM
This is a /sarc comment, right?
Buy Danish on January 3, 2008 at 8:54 PM
McCain is just trying any tactic he can. He wants NH so much that it must be keeping him awake nights. It’s nice for us NH’erites to be loved if only for a little while and for the wrong reasons. LOL
jeanie on January 4, 2008 at 9:51 AM
I think it is smart for the McCain camp to try to tie this to Mitt . . . even though I don’t think it would be possible for it to be Mitt. He was leading in the polls. . . why on earth would he try to torpedo his own campaign like that.
No, I doubt Mitt would do it to himself. I think it is smart of the McCain campaign to cast doubt on Mitt. I know McCain wouldn’t be so stupid as to do it while praising himself in the push poll. I still think it was Rudy.
ThackerAgency on January 4, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Here is the Romney Campaigns response:
Buy Danish on January 4, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Evidence? Reasoning? Or was it just a process of elimination?
Buy Danish on January 4, 2008 at 2:20 PM
By the definition of “bigot” I see bandied about here, St. Paul the Apostle would have been considered a “bigot” too. Or… MAYBE he just understood theology.
People who dress like Quakers do not live on the moon.
People do not live on the sun.
Amerindians are not Jewish.
Mojave Mark on January 4, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Mojave Mark,
Gee, I didn’t know St. Paul had any thing to say about inhabitants on the moon and sun, or Amerindians. Do tell.
Usually, the definition of bigot applies to those that throw baseless stereotypes around, mock the beliefs or ascribe incorrect beliefs to a group of people…kind of like everything that was in your last post.
drflykilla on January 4, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Paul didn’t; some other prophets of a more latter period did however.
Mojave Mark on January 5, 2008 at 12:08 AM
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