McCain seeks internet trolls to push campaign-approved talking points
By SilentPatriot Tuesday May 20, 2008 7:30pm 
It's like a desperate personal ad.
Help spread the word about John McCain on news and blog sites. Your efforts to help get the message out about John McCain's policies and plan for the future is one of the most valuable things you can do for this campaign. You know why John McCain should be the next President of the United States and we need you to tell others why.
Select from the numerous web, blog and news sites listed here, go there, and make your opinions supporting John McCain known. Once you’ve commented on a post, video or news story, report the details of your comment by clicking the button below. After your comments are verified, you will be awarded points through the McCain Online Action Center.
I'm sure Markos will appreciate that he's one of the "featured" target blogs.
Make sure to check out the "Today's Talking Points" section and feel free to leave your own snarky "McCain Talking Points" in comments.
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John McCain... valuable? It is to laugh...
I tried to get the word out, but the only people I know who might be interested are too old for the Internets.
My cousin in the Midwest, told me last weekend, that there is no way he is voting for Obama because he wants 100 years war with Iraq. I kid you not. There really are people that stupid out there.
Really. Well If we know why this is so, why don't you just tell us the reasons? Why make it a secret-club code word? I mean, it's not like you're trying to hide something from the American electorate, right?
Right?
I always knew the bushbots were getting paid.
So what do they get for their points from the McCain Online Action Center?
While being "snarky" at a McCain website may appease the "id" in me - it just doesn't square w/ what I think Obama is trying to accomplish.
We've suffered through enough (and been punished by the results) of this childish chicanery courtesy of republican swiftboating (neither one of which deserves capitalization).
I think the American citizenry is saying it's time to elevate our politics to a level that's respectful of the electorate. The stakes are just too huge to engage in this kind of juvenile skulduggery.
After all, it's change we can believe in - and I believe we can change it.
Yes we can!
ConcernedCanuck @ 3:
That's an understatement as to "stupidity". However, I have a brother in Georgia who
is an ultra conservative, right wing, religious zealot, and he still argues w/me that
man/woman were created by God in the Garden of Eden only 6,000 years ago and that
they co-existed with the dinasours; being saved by Noah and his Ark.
I bet you won't get paid if you tell the truth though.
John McCain is great for America because:
He's just like George W. Bush, only older and actually served in combat.
He wants a 100 years of war! I mean, who doesn't want that? America, fuck ya!
Balanced budget? Those accounting elite liberals!
Global Warming=beach front property in Arizona I can sell.
Okay, McCain Online Action Center, send me my check!
cv @ 6:
The key to the men't room.
Jo @ 11:
Men's room. dammit.
Oh yes indeed, let's have some simpering, brick-brained halfwit tell us about these here brilliant policies of McCain's. This should be funny.
Want me to name nics?
I agree with #2 Atilla the Appeaser. The typical McCain supporter doesn't travel the internets so these trolls will only be wasting their time.
They might be better off hooking up with the Republican 527's. And from what I hear, sales of monkey-body-Obama-face t-shirts in middle-America flea markets are going through the roof. Better the Republicans stick with what they know best....fear, hate and racism.
I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad I'm over 50 and more than half way to being dead.
Oh, and don't forget to click on the red box "Web Communicator" link, so you can tell the site administrators about your successful
astroturfeffort.xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
absolutely. fire away!
john mcsame is a swell guy...
now, where's my f*cking toaster?
Good lord, even their "targets" are uninspired. What, is there like one dude and one dude only in McCain's camp that knows anything about the interwebs and those are what he came up with?
Note to Grampa Flipflop: Thanks to NAFTA and H1B visas, young techies are cheap. Hire one.
Oh yay. I'm sure my grampa would like to help, but he died in 1965.
Go check out Stella on C&L thread Obama slams McCain in Iowa: “The lobbyists who ruled George Bush’s Washington are now running John McCain’s campaign” if you want to see what to expect.
[Her flame bait comments, along with yours and others totaling 84, so far, have pretty much plotted out my evening for me, x. AND I'M NOT PLEASED-Sitemonitor]
Oops!
[FIFY-Sitemonitor]
Ya know, I just realized today that John Mccain is kinda like Jesus on the cross.
I just got an IM from Maf54 saying that John McCain is hot.
Hello, PROPOGANDA!
McCain accepted Elections Funding!
Will these people that his campaign is now supporting be identifying themselves each time they spread their 'message' online?
Mafuskas @ 23:
He is more like Mohammad--a warrior who became a successful business man and politician. But he is like Jesus in the kind of pain he would cause.
Different Anonymous @ 19:
"Oh yes yes yes!" Arbid says, tilting his head back and forth...
Well, C&L gets some think tank trolls any time the minimum wage is discussed. Maybe they can all play in the sandbox together.
John McCain, he's against torture until he's for it; he hates the religious right, then he adores them; he wants us to spend 100 years in Iraq, or until 2013, whichever gets him votes. John McCain, straight talkin'!
Think they're here already also. *sigh*
xoites defends Constitution @ 21:
You thought being a site monitor was going to be an easy job?
You have a problem with me posting here let me know. I can do other things. You should have banned Stella after her third post. Ban me if you like but don't blame me for your state of mind.
I think the whole 'points' thing is a scam. If they were smart, they'd make that aspect real: "Collect 100 points and get a coupon good for a free quart of milk!"
Vote for McCain so that we can bring back the typewriter, LPs and black and white TVs. Making Lawrence Welk the number one TV show again is the change McCain has in mind for our country.
That ought to do it. So where do I pick up my paycheck?
Lucky for him there is certainly no shortage of internet trolls.
Attila the Appeaser @ 24:
I think he's hot, too. In a Grandpa Munster sort of way. But he can't be seen in any mirrors. ;(
Are you kidding? Was Lawrence Welk #1?
Man, I was going to go comment at Redstate -- but none of the posts i found there had more than one comment.
How is that "highly regarded?"
Heck, even when i disagree with an opinion posted here at C&L, I make sure i post a comment. Especially then.
What we need is everybody starting up Myspace blogs that consist of nothing but screen grabs of their artful endeavors at the behest of the McCain campaign.
casper46 @ 36:
I have no idea, but McCain may think it was or should have been.
jkb @ 29:
John McCain is like rubber, he doesn't stick to anything, even principle!
Man those talking points are going to have to change pretty fast if they keep up with McCain's flip flops.
Doggiebobo @ 8:
Humans are amazing, aren't they?
LMFAO!!!
iam sorry but that pic you folks at C&L used is priceless for the topic, and pretty acurate too.
congrats and danke :)
New post is up at my blog, have a look if your bored or just ??
take care folks and thanks again C$L for a kick ass blog and letting alot come here to post comments, without getting our heads chewed off either . DANKE !!!
Best regards and good night,,
dmhlt @ 7:
Indeed, but will it start with the good Senator, Barky I mean, it's common knowledge that Obamabots and Hillbots have ravaged our internet community to the point where hysteria is the modus of the day.
Will Senator Barky be the first to say, 'Yes, in the heat of a partisan battle my lousy campaign staff did this, I now throw them under the bus so that you the chosen my still worship at my shrine of personality.'
I won't hold be my breath and folks here really ought to grow the fuck up about how politics is done in this country...by every candidate. You saw what happened to the only candidate who dared to actually talk about this did you not. John Edwards was reduced to sniveling for crumbs from a guy who has no more concern for what you want than what the cockroaches in his house do. Long as he gets your vote that is.
So this McSame hysteria reaches yet another absurd height. The guy is: dumb, a Republican, a moral and physical coward, a scum bag thief and a lot of other heinous things and now you want to accuse him of what....
Unsolicited comments in the threads?
Get a life. Get out and find an ActBlue candidate to support and stop jacking off here.
Doesn't the McCain campaign realize that people on blogs can spot a troll immediately?
Doggiebobo @ 8:
I wonder what he would make of this?
http://english.people.com.cn/200705/18/eng20070518_375834.html
Biggus Diggus @ 44:
Apparently not. He doesn't know how the tubes work.
By the way, can Congress pass a law NOW stating that all Presidential emails must go through the office of the President and not the respective email sites of the Democratic or Republican National Committees?
For a real challenge, read the talking points that the campaign suggests and explain what the hell you would say on a blog.
"John McCain will put the national interest ahead of partisanship, he will work with anyone who sincerely wants to get this country moving again."
Really thought-provoking isn't it?
Biggus Diggus @ 44:
How? By the type of tube they use when loading up the Internet?
Anyone on this site humping for McCain would be sniffed out in a Crooks and Liars minute. It would be a waste of a troll's time.
pissed off patricia @ 49:
Oh please, if I said something like the following you think that you could tell that I was trolling.
"There are serious issues at stake in this election, and serious differences between the candidates. And we will argue about them, as we should. But it should remain an argument among friends; each of us struggling to hear our conscience, and heed its demands; each of us, despite our differences, united in our great cause, and respectful of the goodness in each other."
It just seems to fit so well into any conversation anywhere. It is quite stealthy, in my opinion.
>Lawrence Welk
Yeah, that reminds me.
John McSame appeals to young people about the same as LW does in this clip right here:
I’m tired of all these insinuations that just because McSenile cannot identify the leaders, the alliances or the predominant faith of the country he sings about bombing is anything but a little forgetfulness tinged with a sense of humour.
The Presidency is the only next logical step for such a senior partner maxed out on the Senate pay scale.
Don't make him live on Cindy's money.
Peerage is not earned, it is conceived. That is genuine red, white and blue ancestral home-grown haemoglobin flowing from generations of warriors.
This message approved by Lord Rothschild, OM GBE for a McSenile president.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/05/20/did-john-mccain-accept-illegal-...
You mean talking points like "Obama supports hamas", "his middle name is hussein, hyuck, hyuck", and "he's a muslim!" ? zzzZZZzzzzzzzz. boring. i have chunks of McBush trolls in my sh*t, i need Beano.
Once you’ve commented on a post, video or news story, report the details of your comment by clicking the button below.
Hey kids! How about helping your old Uncle Johnny out by going to those dirty fucking hippie websites and see what they're saying about me. You'll do that for your uncle Johnny, won't ya??
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
Here are some quick ways to find a McSame wingnut troll.
- COMMENTS ARE IN ALL CAPS
- Liberal is spelled Librul
- Absurd arguments on how well the war is going
- Hagee good, Wright bad
- Any argument is devoid of fact, but there is a lot of "gut feeling"
- Talking points exactly match the same dreck that was said 10 minutes ago on Rush's show
- Will defend and support the war as long as they don't have to go
Happy @ 56:
Don't forget 'libtards,' 'you libs' and 'moonbats' as if it is a hilarious put down.
Ahh, "A Citizen" ... speaking as a physician, it's clear you need to change the dosage level of your meds - they're not working for well for you.
Has he flip-flopped on his wife yet? Is she still a c*nt or isn't she?
I intend to put together the 10 biggest reasons NOT to vote for McCain for President, with verification links, and email it to everyone I know. Anyone care to help me construct it? It won't be hard coming up with 10, just narrowing it to the top 10. For starters.
1. Graduated 894th in his class of 899 at Annapolis.
2. Supported the Invasion of Iraq from the start.
3. Sees nothing wrong with occupying Iraq for the next 100 years.
4. Supports continued tax cuts for the very rich, that he originally opposed.
5. Doesn't know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite.
6. Seeks and receives endorsements for the likes of Hagee.
7. Has promised that his Supreme Court appointment would me in mold of Alito and Roberts.
Toss me some more so I can narrow it to the top 10.
Well now I get the game going on over at Atrios site.
There were posts like John McCain discovered fire, and stuff like that. This can be a lot of fun!!!!
John McCain and his lobbyist minions really don't get this interwebs thing, do they. Maybe they can get Ted Stevens to explain it to them. (it's a series of tubes)
cv @ 6:
A vacation in Iraq.
ConcernedCanuck @ 3:
OMFG!
Wow. that picture has got to be what Marge looks like. LOL.
eric @ 32:
If I get 100 points do they send me a candy bar, or an induction notice? Also, do I get paid by the word? I can be very very very very very very very very very very very prolific when I want to be.
McCain seeks internet trolls to push campaign-approved talking points
In Other Words:
BE A McTROLL!!!!
I dare (but do not advocate) 100 individuals to sign up and then blog why not to vote for big johnny mcfloppin, the go back and report the details?
1000 McCain points are worth 1 Schrute Buck.
100 points get you a shot of penicillin
You know why John McCain should be the next President of the United States and we need you to tell others why and while you're at it tell us. Frankly we're a little at a loss right now as regards reasons to vote for John. We're working on it. If you can think of a reason let us know as soon as possible. There's a McRib gift certificate with your name on it if you can help us. Please,please help us...The Committee to Elect John McCain.
How many Linden Dollars can you get with 1000 McCain points? I gotta know because if it's at least 300 Linden Dollars, I can buy a virtual blowjob from a hooker in Second Life.
I went to the McCain website. It looks like from the early days of the internet! Hilarious.
The McGoo trolls haunt certain sites like flies on dung. Try saying something against McSame over on one of Meg Whitmans' eBay "community" message boards.
AFTER you get gang-spammed by the McCainites(using all the rebumlickin talking points listed thus far), your post will likely get stripped and they all do a victory dance together.
Yet vile, racist hate speech stays posted.
Point out the disparity tothe moderators & watch your account go "poof".
It's disturbing & insidious; using a quasipublic message board masquerading as an open community to privately style the message to meet your agenda.
xoites defends Constitution @ 22:
Okay, what does FIFY mean?
'
that's actually a pretty good idea.
and i kind of respect their openness about it.
i'm curious how the point system will work. is it like those tickets at an arcade? 4000 tickets gets you a deck of cards or something.
John Samsonite @ 77:
4000 tickets and McCain will do the quarter-behind-the-ear trick for ya!
Saw this on a few posts at DK, lots of funny commentary about this I recommend checking it out . Anyway, so let me get this straight:
A) McSame wants supporters who probably don't know how to use the internet to spam blogs with this crap,
B) Lists two conservative sites as examples, even though besides their being empty they're already likely going his way so the effort is pointless,
C) lists a large liberal site as the third example, as if any Democrat on these will support Bush III and doing so just because of a random one-time poster saying something that makes him/her look like a bot,
D) actually calls the b.s. messages of the day "talking points"... seriously is his campaign really that f'ed up and in shambles that they don't realize the word choice is literally a slur against them?
E) offers some mysterious "points" as a reward for trolling and showing them the fruits of your labor--even though it will likely be in jest by liberal bloggers, or by his true supporters but it will be blocked as spam/trolls--gee I really want to know what the prizes are.
Sounds like an idea full of win! I can't see how the repubs can lose with such heavy tactics like this. Frankly I cannot see this as anything except a sham attempt to getting supporters to act as spies for his campaign. Quite pathetic that he can't get his own staff to do the basic research (or is it just plain stupidity or sticking to ideology?), even though all the sites basically just repeats, dissects and poke fun of the talking points as they're said in the media well before the trolls figure out how to copy/paste them so what could they possibly get that they couldn't otherwise is beyond me.
Actually on second thought, the random bot of a troll I've never seen before has a good non-point, I guess I fooled myself. He's right I'm going to support McSame, and I'll do it by voting D in November. Do I still get these mystery box top points?
Ryan in IL @ 75:
Well...at least I'm not the only one who missed that.
slappy magoo @ 69:
What about in Stanley nickels? I prefer toilet paper myself as the reward unit. Likely used.
What plans and policies? His plans are 'whatever my corporate owners tell me to do' and his policies are 'whatever my corporate owners tell me to say'.
I never seen RedState before. It's like walking into an alternate universe.
Whoa, just checked out Redstate too. Feeling nauseous; like trying to watch Faux for more than 2 minutes.
Redstate? you mean like in Communism?
I thought we already fought that battle... ;)
Excellent. I'm looking forward to battling and belittling these trolls in the upcoming months. YouTube video comments sections seem to be a favorite target for these parasites lately.
I heard that John Mcain can destroy Chuck Norris with his mind.
miss_kitty @ 67:
I'd rather be Mayor McCheese of McDonald's and have a hamburger for a head.
Please note that mr. mc crazy has taken a new approach to his speaches - the newly minted soft spoken and completely relaxed man who still cannot say more than some generalization about wanting to "work together for security or whatever". Could we just all pray that he somehow doesn't bumble himself into the white house?
Can I have my points now? I want a pony
OliverDreams @ 60:
You can probably get more info from this site here
http://truth-about-mccain.blogspot.com/
Speaking of websites, I can't get McCain's to work. It won't give me the list of McCain approved Liberal or Conservative blogs. I guess McCain had to go to be before finishing that part.
And here I thought Obama was the only one slimy enough to use paid bloggers.
foolme1ns @ 61:
I searched the thread for a comment that mirrored my first reaction to the article, and this was the closest.
The real way to deal with these meat puppets is to overwhelm the campaign staff. Two ways:
1. Participate! Write all kinds of obvious, hyperbolic trolls, and submit for credit. The real trolls will either reveal themselves by jumping on the bandwagon, and pick up poor troll-fu habits in the meantime, or else feel that their posts would be redundant and unnecessary. Everyone can play, so let's get cracking.
2. Snipe! If you see a McSame meat puppet post, send in an email that takes credit for it. In fact, do it 10 times for each post you find. The McSame staff will be forced to either sort thru all of the false claims to find the valid ones, or else give credit to everyone who writes in.
The point is, both ways, to make the volume of traffic so overwhelming that the campaign staff can't deal with it all, and especially to make it a frustrating experience for the real meat puppets to earn their credit. Both sides can play this game.
Fixed it for you.
POdVet @ 91:
Well who's paying YOU!
miss_kitty @ 67:
You beat me to it,
McTROLL!
LOL
Liberty(appeaser)Lover @ 88:
There's always the McFish!
Embittered-Max-Hussein-1 @ 94:
I'm picking my McBeat to McTroll now so I can take advantage of McLuddite's McBeatoffer and McUrn some McSwag...
;-}
"Trolls... I hate trolls!" -- Willow
Why not? It worked for Obama
OMG
Check out the blog section of the McCain site - the most rabid lunacy I have seen anywhere.
John McCain was a POW.
John McCain is not like Bush at all.
John McCain was a POW.
John McCain is a maverick.
John McCain wants to end earmarks.
John McCain was a POW.
John McCain hates terrorists.
John McCain eats iron for lunch.
John McCain was a POW.
John McCain hates forners and libruls.
John McCain was a POW.
(Sorry, I needed the money)
:(
Most of the people who want McCain to be president still have rotary telephones in their homes.
Oh goodie, goodie. I get points!!!! What can I use them for? The lobotomy I will surely need to vote for this monstrous dildo dick brain.
OOHHH OHHH! SITE MONITOR DELETE THIS POST!!!! I WANT TO PRETEND LIKE I'M ONE OF THE FIRST MCCAIN TROLLS SMEARING THE C&L BLOG!!! PLZ PLZ PLZ OMGWTFBBQ!!! DELETE THIS POST!!1111oneoneeleven
I know, I'm a day late so no one will notice my little bit of attention whoring. :(
Hey they forgot to warn the potential trolls that they may be exposed to truth! Or that they may get their asses handed to them.
cv @ 6:
A year's supply of Depends.
ConcernedCanuck @ 3:
What?! I hope this cousin of your hasn't already reproduced!
Terrible @ 103:
SHHHH!!!
Don't give it away, lol!
POdVet @ 91:
WTF?!?! BWAHAHAHAHAAAA!
Misinformed much?
Chico Hussein @ 100:
LOL! That Bush Stimulus check just wasn't enough, huh?
It's interesting that this story says McCain is "seeking trolls" while the MSM, if they covered the story at all, said that Obama was "hiring bloggers". Not that I am in favour of McCain, but I think his effort is more honest and accountable than Obama's. The Obama trolls are a plague, spewing misogyny, sexism, and lies.
LDW: How do you know the so-called sexist Obama trolls are not just republican trolls trying to influence the Democratic Primaries - there is considerable historical precedent for this - Nixon stole stationary from the Humphry campaign and used it to send letters critical of the McGovern campain - Nixon felt Humphry was a stronger candidate and wanted him go get knocked out of race. Now such tactics are much easier - anyone can be a Troll - even you
I see trolls using fred flintstones rock typewritter, which leaves the same mark no matter which key they hit. Ya-ba-daba-do.--CEO
El Perro Patron @ 86:
I saw one the other day attached to a video of Pastor Hagee literally shrieking hysterically about Israel and destruction. They guy tried to yawn past the vicious anti-semitism of Hagee and then moved on to the talking points that he was much more interested in Reverend Wright who had been Obama's pastor for 20 years and blah blah blah blah blah.
I gave the motherfucker a thumbs down. What's funny is that the videos on Youtube speak for themselves. The comments sections are hilarious but ultimately you can't argue with the words and images of John McCain stating two conflicting opinions in his own voice.
And after listening to about 30 seconds of Pastor Hagee I've heard all I ever want to hear from that whackjob motherfucker. I do not attend, and never have attended, religious services. I cannot imagine what keeps people listening to someone rant and rave like that. Hagee is bugfuck out of his mind and his voice is as appealing as a thousand fingernails on a chalkboard.
LDW @ 109:
Hello, Mr. McCain Troll. Have you been paid for your talking points yet?
You know why John McCain should be the next President of the United States and we need you to tell others why.
So tell me, what kind of B.S. is this? If the guy has any REAL good reasons for this job. STATE THEM. State your policy positions. We are sick to death of your opinions, which are just like *ss*oles. Everybody has one.
And yours stink.
Aren't these trolls, or allot of them over seas milatary stationed away from their family's and away from true reality? These poor guys still think they are helping us, when in fact they are the worst off of all of us.:/
Their computers are completely under controll, all "truth" websites are blocked, they can't talk to their familys openly or any one from their hometowns, for national security reasons.
Yes I am mad at them, yes they have hasseled me for years now. I feel for them I pray that they will return OK, and be able to be unprogramed.
I called John McCain headquarters at 703-418-2008 and talked to Peter Donald, the head of the Mccain action center department. When I asked him what the exactly points in the Mccain Action Center entitled one to, he asked me if I was with the press, to which I replied no. Then he hung up on me.
I guess the points hold more of a symbolic value, which stinks because I really was hoping to get a nice Mccain flag lapel pin.
I've read the talking points. Whoever writes them for The-Republican-John-McCain knows how to hit all the buzz-phrases that sociopaths use when they want to make it sound as if they had both a conscience and the capacity to be influenced by its promptings. But, all anybody who is not braindead should be able to see that whenever The-Republican-John-McCain is speaking about principles or conscience, his deeds and his words are never in harmony.
John McCain, the Republican:
You are an embarrassment and a pathetic joke. Quit and go home. Enjoy what time remains to you...before you finish your journey into denemtia.
McCain is only against torture when he is the one being tortured
he is not pro torture, u can tell by his voting record
now where do I get my McCain points at??
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