Confirmed: Kean Jr Campaign Behind Astroturfing

They're not gonna win any votes here (4.00 / 1)

Just like I was taught never to mess with local GOP internal operations or knock on the doors of my local Republican committee members, I dunno what will be gained by diehard Republicans fighting with yellow dog Dems on an obvious partisan site.  It's pretty clear that our minds have long been made up over whom we will vote for on Election Day.

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by: thecontrarian @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 08:09:09 AM CDT

open (0.00 / 0)

Although I'm open to any good candidate, the GOP really has not put up anyone good, and anyone good IMO is very VERY moderate.

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by: CD Rates @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 19:16:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Children (2.00 / 3)

Pretty childish behavior, on both parts.

First of all, these troll posts evidently from the same IP address: That is pretty pathetic. It is one thing to honestly disagree with a viewpoint, and to promote debate.. but it is entirely another thing to actively pursue a flame fight, and argument just for the sense of argument.

On the other side, I feel the amature investigation conducted and "confirmed" information is a bit silly. This isn't Earth shattering information that we're dealing with here guys. A bunch of idiots have decided to try and troll your forum.
Don't sink to their level or add fuel to the fire, brush it off and don't give them the attention they're craving.

Everybody can do better than this.

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by: DrGortex1 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 08:12:04 AM CDT

OK (4.00 / 4)

But this is not just a bunch of idiots -- this is staff members of a campaign for the United States Senate.  That's news for 2 reasons:

1) They don't have anything better to do with their time than worry about a blog;

2) They are this threatened by a blog.

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by: huntsu @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 08:44:38 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

This is behavior... (4.00 / 4)

That can be filed under the topic "Dirty Tricks", or you can use the rat-based phrase so popular with Republicans. The source is Juney's campaign headquarters.

Put it all together and this is trivial? As if. If we were doing the same thing and it could be documented in the detail that Juan has documented this behavior, the press releases would be flying out of Juney's campaign headquarters in such numbers as to rival the snowflakes in The Blizzard of 96.

Admittedly, documenting the public stupidities of young Republican thugs is also damn good fun, too, for verily, they are hamfisted clowns. ;-)

The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

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by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 08:55:15 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

These aren't just idiots (4.00 / 2)

They're official campaign idiots, pretending to be something they're not.

And as for the "both sides do it" crap argument, if it's important enough to a campaign functionary to hide their identity when trolling an opposing site, it's important enough to expose them when  they do.

You want to elevate the dialog, leave off lecturing others about what they should do and elevate your own behavior.

The irony of that last sentence doesn't escape me in this regard, but it's good advice, nonetheless...

Before you win, you have to fight. Come fight along with us at TexasKaos.

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by: boadicea @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:02:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Great work, jmelli (0.00 / 0)

I love to see things like this exposed. 

So I guess whenever we see comments from "cleanupnj" and "usedtobeblue" we can just respond with "Hi, Jill" and post a link to her bio or something.

Pity that Jill (and perhaps her minions) feel that they have to stoop to this level.  It sure doesn't look good for the Kean campaign to have the campaign spokeswoman doing this.

P.S. Jill, if you're reading this, did you really used to be blue? 

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by: joanneleon @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 08:50:42 AM CDT

This is Typical of The Whole Republican Modus Operandi (0.00 / 0)

All straight out of the Karl Rove handbook (maybe Rove at age 16 but still Rovian none the less).  Of course, now Rove has this kind of crap done for him by people ten levels below him so he can claim (im)plausible deniability.

Unfortunately, this garbage has achieved a certain amount of traction in the media.  And it's being reflected by the polls.  It's a shame, but lies seem to work unless they are fully exposed in the bright light of day.

It's up to the Menendez campaign to blow this all up in Kean's face in a very public and effective way; or it won't matter in the slightest that a few dozen (hundred?) political wonks who follow this site know the truth.

In particular, there was a broadcast on the Brian Leher show on WNYC that really did a number on Menendez that needs to be responded to!  The Menendez campaign should demand an on air opportunity to rebut the misinformation.  Go to the wnyc site at http://www.wnyc.org/...
and then listen to the sement labeled as follows:

>>>>>Not your garden variety politics

Bob Hennelly, WNYC reporter
and
Kathy Barrett-Carter, editorial writer at the Newark Star-Ledger<<<<<<<<<<

Meanwhile, there's nothing "amateurish" about the work that Xpat and Juan have done here .  In fact it is PRECISELY what the press SHOULD have been doing!

Sly attempts to minimized the significance of these dirty tricks smack, to me, of damage control.  This is big, significant stuff as it cuts the whole rationale for Keane campaign off at the knees.

Without the swiftboating of Menendez (and a tacit appeal to bigotry/prejudice), they have nothing to run on except the fact that Junior has the same name as his father.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:05:00 AM CDT

a trap...... (0.00 / 0)

.....hazelbacker has this entire blogsite talking ALL THE TIME about these ridiculous allegations.

hence, we are not talking about the war.  I hope we are not a bunch of suckers for allowing ourselves to let them frame this debate.

This campaign should be about IRAQ IRAQ IRAQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:08:21 AM CDT

We're Democrats (4.00 / 1)

And as such can do more than one thing at a time--

Fear not Jay.

Best,

M.

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by: M. Sullivan @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:37:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

This is sad (1.50 / 2)

This is a truly sad day for the bluejersey.  Covering NJ like a rug?  Maybe you'd have a shot if you focused on actual campaign issues.  As an ardent democrat who used to enjoy reading this blog, I am frankly disapointed at the turn bluejersey has taken.  You're wrong if you think our generation is only interested in personal attacks...and the personal attacks aren't even on the candidates, but their staff.  A new low point guys.  Good job.  Keep up the great work.

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by: blueforever06 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:16:24 AM CDT

LOL, Hi Jill! (4.00 / 6)

Seriously, what is wrong with you guys?

This is sad (0.00 / 0)
IP Address: 70.90.20.85
This is a truly sad day for the bluejersey.  Covering NJ like a rug?  Maybe you'd have a shot if you focused on actual campaign issues.  As an ardent democrat who used to enjoy reading this blog, I am frankly disapointed at the turn bluejersey has taken.  You're wrong if you think our generation is only interested in personal attacks...and the personal attacks aren't even on the candidates, but their staff.  A new low point guys.  Good job.  Keep up the great work.
by: blueforever06 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:16:24 AM EDT

How is it that I can call you out on posting from Junior's campaign HQ and then... YOU KEEP DOING IT? Seriously, just stop it. It's laughable and embarrassing and a huge no-no in the world of the web. No one believes for a second that you're "an ardent democrat who used to enjoy reading this blog." It doesn't take an IP address to sniff out a concern troll from a mile away.

It looks really silly for your candidate that you're spending your time fighting with a blog. I mean, we're flattered and all, but you just keep making the joke funnier and funnier.

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by: Juan Melli @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:32:58 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

These Poor Folks Remind Me of "Baghdad Bob" (0.00 / 0)

Remember the Iraqi "information minister" who was in such bizarre denial that he could not acknowledge reality.  (Hmmmmm, sounds like George Bush on Global Warming!!!  lol)

All they can do is to keep digging themselves into a deeper hole.

Bob had no shame, and neither do these poor pathetic creatures. On the othere hand, it's people like this that are running the White House, and the Congress; so we do have to take them seriously, eh?
 

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:05:03 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maybe it's not Jill (0.00 / 0)

Maybe it's Junior himself.  He does nothing (but perhaps whine)in Trenton, so why should he actually do work on his own campaign?

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by: PocketAces @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:28:19 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

That's a big assumption (0.00 / 0)

I'm not aware that Junior has the typing skills, let alone the ability to spontaneously arrange words in order to convey ideas.

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by: Mr Blifil @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:01:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Drat Staff Meetings! (0.00 / 0)

I saw that post this morning--right before a meeting.  I wanted to reply as follows:

Dear Blue:

Blow it out your a**.

Drat jobs!

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by: M. Sullivan @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:27:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hahahahahahahaha! (4.00 / 1)

Please don't stop - it's hilarious!

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by: Jeff Gardner @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 13:55:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Seriously (3.33 / 3)

Just stop. You keep digging the hole deeper.

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by: DrGortex1 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:50:10 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hey, Jill! (4.00 / 3)

Why does Kean support the disastrous fiasco in Iraq?  Why does the Kean campaign continue to spout nonsense about a non-scandal that was reviewed by the House Ethics Committee years ago (with no wrong-doing or unethical behavior found)?  Why did a campaign staff member of the Junior Kean organization state for the record that the Junior Kean campaign would be running a "swift-boat" style campaign?  Why did Junior Kean use the "Jr." at the end of his name until he started running for the US Senate?  Was that a deliberate attempt to confuse the voters into thinking they were voting for his father?

If you want to post here, I think that's great, but how about you answer a few of these questions?  Then Bluejersey might become wonderful to you again, because you could be contributing to the wonderfulness by posting here honestly.  Post under an assumed name all you want, but don't do it under an assumed identity of being a supporter of Democrats except for Senator Menendez.  That is dishonest.  You know it, I know it, and even DrGortex understands this (though why he pretends he doesn't see the point of reporting this is beyond me).

It is very ironic that you and/or other Junior Kean campaign staffers post to this web site about alleged unethical behavior while using fake identities intended to conceal your real affiliation.  Kind of puts the lie to your claims of taking the high road, no?

DBK

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by: DBK @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:36:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

No. Don't stop. (4.00 / 2)

I haven't laughed this hard in weeks.  She's utterly clueless.  You would think she'd at least open a new email account.  The longer you keep her occupied like this, the better.

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by: Rufus T Firefly @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:18:03 AM CDT

emails (4.00 / 1)

She's created at least a half dozen different email addresses, though it doesn't make it any harder to figure out who she is.

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by: Juan Melli @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:27:52 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Pardon my technological impairment. (0.00 / 0)

The IP address is the giveaway, right?  Isn't that traceable to a single computer?

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by: Rufus T Firefly @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:12:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

yea pretty much (0.00 / 0)

Traceable to a single computer or firewall/router.  So, for example, if the Kean campaign gets its internet access from Comcast Cable, Comcast will give them one IP address, and then that connection will feed into a router in their office so all their computers can be online.  From the outside world, no matter what computer they're posting from behind that router, you only see the IP address of the router.

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by: Fran for Dean @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:55:13 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Has anyone thought to provide all of this info... (4.00 / 2)

...to the Ledger, the Record, etc. to see if they'll run with it or at least use it at Jr.'s next press conference to make him squirm (and hopefully say something really dopey)?  It's a good story to get out now in the wake of the Lee Siegel fiasco and to smudge the supposed "reformer" with a campaign founded on dirty tricks.

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by: lonemorriscodem @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:25:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Quite right (0.00 / 0)

Also it goes without saying that Menendez's campaign should be notified. Also the whole business makes one wonder what other psuedonymous adventures she is pursuing during work hours on her candidate's dime?

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by: Mr Blifil @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:59:17 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

So sincerely disappointed (4.00 / 2)

As a rabid Republican who wants to you think I'm a lifelong liberal, I must say I'm very disappointed in Blue Jersey for not realizing that Republicans are now and are likely always to be better than Democrats in every way, and everything bad that happens is Democrats' fault even when Republicans control everything.  Just trying to help.

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by: clb72 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:45:23 AM CDT

Internet Operations (4.00 / 6)

I would just like to say that this proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the internet operations at the Menendez for Senate campaign, so ably run by super-blogger Scott Shields, whose work at MyDD I was a huge fan of, are run so much better than those at the Kean Jr...

Wait, what?

Oh jeez, this is going to be posted under my name?

Uh...

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by: Scott Shields @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:06:08 PM CDT

*snert* (0.00 / 0)

Scott--

Don't quit your day job--UNTIL WE ELECT BOB!

Best,

Moira

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by: M. Sullivan @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:29:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

She is a great New Jersean (0.00 / 0)

I mean, Oregonian:

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to convey my deepest appreciation to a member of my Washington, D.C. staff for her tireless efforts on behalf of the good people of Oregon's 2nd Congressional District. Jill Hazelbaker will soon conclude her internship and return to the University of Oregon to finish her dual degree in Political Science and History.

Jill came to my office fresh from a semester abroad in London. She had only a few days to relax at home in Salem, Oregon, before picking up and moving to Washington, D.C. for her summer internship. Many students would balk at such a quick turnaround, but not Jill. Her travels have taken her from Africa to Europe, and she has participated not only in a semester abroad in London, but a summer studying in Beijing, China. She has no qualms about traveling to distant lands and learning about other people and cultures, an attribute that has served her well in the unique political environment of Capitol Hill and helped ease her transition into this international city.

Though Jill has made a habit of traveling the globe, she is an Oregonian through and through. She cares deeply about the people of Oregon and the issues that matter to them, and plans on making her home there. She is committed to her community and volunteers her time reading to elementary school children and registering voters at her university. Jill takes pride in her work and is one of only eight student advertising executives at the Oregon Daily Emerald, a paper serving the UO campus community.

I wonder if she taught all those elementary school students the finer points of waging a dirty tricks campaign?

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by: Mr Blifil @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:06:25 PM CDT

And, lest we forget (0.00 / 0)

You can learn a lot about a person from the company they keep:

A researcher working on Thomas H. Kean Jr.'s proposed film attacking U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez once sent out thousands of anonymous post cards and automated phone calls accusing a New Hampshire candidate's wife of being in an orgasm cult.

Christopher Lyon's resume includes work done for Republican state parties in New York and Virginia, more than one New Jersey congressman, former New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Bret Schundler, and now Kean, Menendez's challenger in New Jersey's U.S. Senate race.

Lyon researched Willie Horton, the furloughed killer who became an issue in the 1988 presidential race between Michael Dukakis and George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton's background while Clinton was governor of Arkansas.

Kean campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said that "as the boss of Hudson County, Bob Menendez doesn't have the standing to lecture anyone about ethics."

I'd be fascinated to hear her explanation as to whom she would admit to having the standing to lecture about ethics? Larry Flynt? Bob Ney? Duke Cunningham?

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by: Mr Blifil @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:12:50 PM CDT

Good job, everyone. (0.00 / 0)

Now back to work.  Any chance of getting the attention of the MSM?

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by: Rufus T Firefly @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:25:32 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good point. (0.00 / 0)

I would, however, like to do a little more research about that orgasm cult. Do you have a link (for research purposes only, of course)?

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by: Sidd Finch @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 12:58:32 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Orgasm cult? (0.00 / 0)

Don't worry. You're soaking in it.

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by: Mr Blifil @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 14:40:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

AN ORGASM CULT??!! (0.00 / 0)

Where do I sign up? Where! Please, someone tell me WHERE!

It may me all bucolic and whatnot out here in Ernieland, but stuff like that is just not to be found.

The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

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by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 01:38:25 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

A coupleof more questions for Jill, just off the top of my head (4.00 / 1)

As long as we have a Kean campaign staffer dropping by, and as long as she is complaining about Bluejersey not covering what she thinks would make the site more valuable, I have a couple of additional questions to add to the ones I posted here earlier:

Why did Junior vote against a bill that would have allowed needle exchange in NJ?  huntsu posted a front-page diary ont his today that I just saw and I think Junior has a lot to answer for there.

Why did Junior resign from the Budget Committee, knowing a budget crisis was looming and that real leadership would be needed, and then stand on the outside and complain about the failure of the budget process?  That stinks of dishonesty, to be perfectly honest about it.

DBK

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by: DBK @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 13:08:12 PM CDT

Junior is a coward (0.00 / 0)

"Why did Junior resign from the Budget Committee, knowing a budget crisis was looming and that real leadership would be needed, and then stand on the outside and complain about the failure of the budget process?"

Menendez tried to bring that up during the debates last spring, but it didn't gain much traction.  I don't know why, because it reveals Junior as nothing more than a gutless, craven politician with no concept of the public interest he is supposed to be representing, someone with zero cojones.

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by: Rufus T Firefly @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 13:25:43 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Re (4.00 / 1)

Also, you guys are upset about the attacks on Menendez, but isn't it a little bit hypocritical to then attack his press secretary.

No.  See, the difference is that, with a bit of research, we discover that the attacks on Menendez are entirely built in the realm of fantasy.  Hazelbaker, on the other hand, actually said and did the things we are saying she did.

That's called, "Telling it like it really is".  You won't find many Republicans doing it. John McCain used to - though I now have doubts about him moving forward.

Also, when you're the public face of a campaign, you get to catch all the flack for what your campaign throws.  This shouldn't be news to someone who makes a living being the public face of a campaign - or to anyone who has seen the kind of flack spokespeople catch dating from Snow all the way back to Didi Myers.

But, when you build a career creating stories out of thin air, I suppose it seems natural to build a protest out of thin air as well.

XT

To hell with what she wants, let's make Rosi Efthim the next DSC chair.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 14:32:06 PM CDT

What's truly fascinating... (4.00 / 2)

Is that someone thinks doing this is the best use of their campaign time? Not to disparage the blog, but knowing New Jersey, and how few people register (percentage wise), fewer vote, and yet even fewer read political blogs. You'd have more impact standing in front of the local A&P singing Tom Kean Jr.'s virtues, wouldn't you?
Golly.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

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by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 14:33:08 PM CDT

Shhhh..... (4.00 / 4)

If this is how Jill wants to spend her precious time, please, by all means, let's oblige her for as long as she wants.  I don't know about the rest of you, but for me it's no more than a few occasional brief breaks during the day to clear my head from work.  If Blue Jersey has somehow become Jill's Moby Dick obsession, if we can get her to continue expending valuable time that she would otherwise be using to devise new Swift Boat attacks on Menendez, I say go for it.

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by: Rufus T Firefly @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 14:56:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

NJ.com post (0.00 / 0)

Hey guys,

You made the Ledger:

http://www.nj.com/newslogs/starledger/index.ssf?/mtlogs/njo_ledgerupdate/archives/2006_09.html#185950

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by: jackiecorley @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 20:30:42 PM CDT