Video tracker or voter intimidation?

Please, you must be kidding! (0.00 / 0)

Ned Lamont was ABSOLUTELY the first person to use video trackers on Dan Malloy.  Perhaps you did not know this, so you should ask someone in Ned's camp who will be truthful.  I'm sure there are at least as many as in Malloy's camp as there are in Lamont's who will be candid on the subject.

I have personally seen Dan three times with Lamont's tracker sticking his camera with speaker as close as one foot from the speaker's face when talking to Dan.

That kid, paid by Lamont, who is stuck like glue to Dan, has 99% of whatever Dan has said to people at any public location.  
That is probably why, NOW, Ned's words are almost exactly the same as Dan's or a simple paraphaseing of Dan's words and thoughts.

If you want to complain about Dan, let's hear how his policy is not as good as Ned's.

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by: KeepLeft @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 17:40:26 PM UTC

Don't have a cow, man (0.00 / 0)

I don't know what Lamont's tracker does. You know why? Because I don't bother Malloy's voters. I posted exactly what I saw yesterday. This is what happened.

And speaking of stealing lines, it's funny how Malloy never had "a laser-like focus" on any issue until well after Ned mentioned it dozens of times.

But hey, what's a little plagiarizing among friends, right?

Connecticut Bob

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by: Bob Adams @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 17:47:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not true (4.00 / 1)

Chris McArdle has been doing video work for Malloy for some time. I've covered at least ten Malloy events and in each case, Lamont's tracker blended in with the press. I've also covered several of Lamont's events where McArdie was present.

The video and images of Chris McArdle in this post were taken AFTER McArdie talked to me personally and alleged that Lamont's tracker was invading Malloy's personal space. I would think that Malloy's campaign would had released photos and/or video footage of Lamont's tracker in action and to this date, I haven't seen an instance where Lamont's tracker acted the way McArdle this weekend.

There's nothing wrong with tracking politicians but what McArdle is doing is WAY over the line (especially after McArdle alleged that Lamont's tracker was doing the same thing).

One can't allege harassment and then turn around and do the same thing.  

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by: ctblogger @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 18:05:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Again, you like to blame Malloy, (0.00 / 0)

and give a pass to your Lamont.
I'm absolutely sure, Lamont started on Malloy first and that Lamont's tracker has been in the face of people talking to Malloy.  Generally he (tracker) is polite, but forceful.
I have no proof because I am not someone who follows candidates around.  But I have seen Dan and Lamont's tracker on three occations.

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by: KeepLeft @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 18:23:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not placing blame (4.00 / 1)

but rather stating fact.

To this date, no one has provided a photo or video of Lamont's tracker in Malloy's personal space and again, I've attended numerous press events and haven't seen Lamont's tracker in Malloy's face...in fact, it would be idiotic to do that since there would be a good chance the incident would be photographed and documented by the media.

Two wrongs don't make a right, especially if the person who complains about the Lamont campaign's alleged activities is doing the exact same thing. As someone who covered campaigns since 2005, what McArdle did this past weekend is WAY, WAY over the line (and is a form of harassment).

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by: ctblogger @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 18:33:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

But the meme is out there (0.00 / 0)

This article in the Branford Eagle accused Lamont's tracker of being "a foot away" from Malloy during "the entire 30-minute event," despite the fact that all the photos accompanying the article disprove that extreme claim.

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by: BranfordBoy @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:32:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This is a blatant LIE (0.00 / 0)

I was at this event...in fact, I did a live stream of Malloy's presser from beginning to end. Lamont's tracker was to the right of me and the CT-N crew the entire time.

As in every Malloy event I've attended, the tracker blended in with the press and was no closer to Malloy than anyone else...including the person who wrote that article.

ugh!

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by: ctblogger @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:44:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I wonder who FED (0.00 / 0)

the press that lie...

Ummm which candidate and his campaign spends most of their time lying?

The question is not what you are, we already determined that, we are now negotiating price.
electrealdemocrats.com Online since 3/07 -- TimetogoJoe.com Online s

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by: Met00 @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 20:39:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

LMAO (4.00 / 3)

I'm absolutely sure

followed by

I have no proof

That has got to be the best "say what?" post I've seen in a long time.

When we were kids and some kid said "I'm absolutely sure babies come from the stork. I have no proof." many of the other children believed him. Today as adults one would hope their further sophistication and education would make them laugh out loud at such claims.

The question is not what you are, we already determined that, we are now negotiating price.
electrealdemocrats.com Online since 3/07 -- TimetogoJoe.com Online s

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by: Met00 @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 20:43:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

More like candidate annoyance. (3.00 / 1)

A tracker's dream would be to have a macacca moment (George Allen is to trackers what Richard Nixon was to journalists.)

Tomorrow it'll be done.

Malloy is trying to come from behind with what I realize is classic negative campaigning, and the agressive camera is part of that, but for me, it's been a real turn-off.

And Lamont is, I think, playing it smart, in the context of having many, many undecideds and independents going into the general.

If Malloy wins, watch him tack to the center with a vengeance.
And if Lamont wins, he'll keep doing what he's been doing.  Either one'd be infinitely better than Foley or Federle.

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by: jeffs @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 18:26:10 PM UTC

Macaca, Malloy & Lamont (4.00 / 2)

The "macaca moment" was captured by an official tracker who attended a public event with the candidate's explicit acknowledgement (if not permission) and who filmed the candidate giving a public address to a crowd.

IMO, I think that's totally acceptable tracker behavior -- attending events open to the public, filming a candidate's public addresses.  It's totally different than following a person around, invading their personal space, interjecting a camera into one-on-one conversations with individual voters.  If you were talking in a private conversation with a person, it would be rude for me to step between you and stick a camera or mic in your face.  

I think we should get used to the presence of trackers -- they don't need to be greeted with hostility or suspicion if they're just filming public addresses without disrupting anyone.  But we shouldn't abandon all expectations of civility and decency just because someone's holding a video camera.

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by: Maura @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 22:24:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Trackers suck (4.00 / 1)

The Malloy campaign did an excellent job of making Lamont's tracker an issue. Having first-strike advantage meant that the media has pretty much ignored anything the Malloy campaign might or might be doing in the same vein.

Seems to me whatever benefit there might have been in trackers has evaporated.

And, quite frankly, does anybody think Malloy is going to have a Macaca moment? The closest he's come to it was the caviar crack. And that was reported by the MSM.

If they must do it, I'd advise candidates to invest in the kind of equipment that would let their tracker lurk well in the background and still get accurate audio. And they shouldn't send the same guy to every event.

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by: BranfordBoy @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 18:44:38 PM UTC

:( (0.00 / 0)

it's a necessary part of the job. it isn't glorious, but it's widespread. A campaign who doesn't have a tracker now is unilaterally disarming.

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by: leaveonlyfootprints @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 18:57:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

McArdle had a shotgun mic... (0.00 / 0)

...on his camera which means he doesn't have to be close to Lamont at all to pick up his audio. He could stand at least ten feet away and pick by Ned's comment (as long as he has the mic pointed in Lamont's direction).

As someone who knows a thing or two about video, what McArdle did is plain bullshit and had nothing to do with capturing Ned on video and more to do with attempting to piss Ned off. No candidate should be subjected to that type of harassment.

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by: ctblogger @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:19:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I can't believe Malloy is spending $1,000/week, (4.00 / 2)

(of public money), to pay McArdle to be a pest.

I hope that anyone who believes strongly in the CEP will take note that all the publicly funded bullshit puts the entire program at risk.

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by: AndersonScooper @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:25:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm actually considering asking my state senator (4.00 / 2)

to reconsider his support of the CEP program after watching how the extra time the candidates were given because they didn't have to "dial for dollars" was used.

I think maybe the states treasury and the electorate would have been better served if both candidates that accepted the money were locked in a room 4 hours a day.  

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by: ctkeith @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:57:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not only a shotgun mic... (4.00 / 1)

...but he mic'd himself!  He has a lapel mic hooked up to a recorder in his pocket.  You can see it on the video, especially among the 43 minutes I didn't use.

Why would somebody need to do that, unless maybe their objective is to goad someone into an altercation and capture every moment of it? His camera mic should pick up the people he's taping.  Very weird.  

Connecticut Bob

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by: Bob Adams @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:31:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

McArdle 6+ year quest to secure a state job in exchange (0.00 / 0)

for crawling up Malloy ass ends tomorrow.

I have to admit it was a blast to make fun of him to his face at every opportunity over those 6+ years though.

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by: ctkeith @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 20:05:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Dean's husband gets arrested (0.00 / 0)

Is there a full moon???

CANTON - Malcolm McGough, husband and campaign manager of Attorney General candidate Martha Dean, was arrested Sunday for breach of peace, according to a police press release.

The release stated that at 7:24 p.m., officers from the Canton Police Department responded to a report of an argument between a man and a woman over political signs.

Betty Fiora was removing political signs from her 15 Albany Turnpike property when McGough, who was driving by, stopped.

McGough, 53, of 144 River Knolls in Avon, was driving a Chevy Suburban registered to Martha Dean of the same address, according to the release.

McGough said that he had been losing many of the signs due to vandals. Fiora said the signs she was removing had been placed on her property without her permission.

According to police, the incident involved McGough yelling at Fiora and ripping the signs out of her hand with some force. Fiora indicated that McGough had also pushed her. A witness also confirmed the altercation.

McGough was arrested for second-degree breach of peace and was issued a summons. He was released on a written promise to appear in court on Aug. 11.

also here....
http://blogs.courant.com/capit...

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by: Sue @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:49:45 PM UTC

That's the most normal thing about her campaign (0.00 / 0)

I'm still in awe about her brilliant idea of teaching school kids firearms training.

From a Tea Party rally, naturally.

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by: Scarce @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:58:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Rick Green (Courant) picks up on "Video Trackers Gone Wild!" (0.00 / 0)

Complete with video from Bob.

http://blogs.courant.com/rick_...

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by: Scarce @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 19:55:07 PM UTC

Flashback (0.00 / 0)

New Haven Independent July 9 2010:

...within minutes, Winter showed up, camera at the ready. The Lamont campaign has assigned Winter, a Yale student, to follow Malloy on the campaign trail to record his public statements and actions on video. With the growing influence of Youtube on elections, trackers like Winter have become staples in political campaigns throughout the country. Click here to read Melissa Bailey's first report on how the phenomenon surfaced at the May state Democratic convention.

Winter referred questions about his mission to the Lamont press office. However, he said he'd be willing to leave if his presence was unwanted. A Malloy staffer asked him to leave, and he did.

Malloy said he considers episodes like that one a "form of harassment."

On one hand, you have Malloy calling a tracker who comes to record an interview at a coffee house "harassment," and on the other hand, a month later, we have a Malloy staffer shoving a camera in Ned's face during a private conversation.

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by: ctblogger @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 20:14:48 PM UTC

What a baby! (0.00 / 0)

Really? An interview in a public place is "private"? Uh, no.  The only person who can ask Winter to leave is the owner of the establishment. Malloy has proven yet again that being a bully means not being able to take the same treatment that he dishes out.  

For the record, not ONCE yesterday did Ned ask Malloy's paid tracker to leave him alone or stop taping him.  In fact, Ned acknowledged his right to be there, even as annoying and intimidating as he was.  

I had no intention of making an "anti-tracker" video, but honestly, I was amazed at the guy's behavior when I saw it and didn't really have any usable video without him in it.  

Connecticut Bob

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by: Bob Adams @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 20:23:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Leaving people alone (0.00 / 0)

I dunno, if I was in a coffee house having a private conversation with one or a small group of individuals, and someone came up to me and started filming me and the people I was talking with, I'd tell them to go away.   And I think it's within bounds for a campaign staffer to ask a tracker to back off if the tracker is interrupting private conversations between the candidate and individuals, even if they take place in public spaces.

I'm not saying this was the case for what happened at this coffee house with a Malloy tracker.  If it was a public meeting and Malloy was addressing a group in a public space, fair game.  If Malloy was having a private meeting in a public place, I think it's out of bounds.

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by: Maura @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 22:55:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Fair enough (0.00 / 0)

A public figure like a politician deserves a certain level of privacy, even in a public place while giving an interview for publication. I'll grant you that.

But calling what the tracker did "harassment" is definitely overstating the case. He offered to leave if asked, and did so once asked, and Dan still complained.  

Isn't that Dan's M.O. these days?  

Connecticut Bob

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by: Bob Adams @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 01:18:56 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yet here we are (0.00 / 0)

With you calling it voter intimidation.  If he called it that, you would call it harassment.  Is there any logic left here?

If A goes negative, it's ok for B to go negative.

Yet when reversed:

B uses an invasive tracker, it's NOT ok for A to?

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by: GrandOleVipers @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 01:31:59 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I have no idea what you're talking about... (4.00 / 1)

...but for the sake of brevity, I'll agree that you're right.

Hope that helps.

Connecticut Bob

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by: Bob Adams @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 02:50:04 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

OH MY GAWD! (0.00 / 0)

However, he said he'd be willing to leave if his presence was unwanted. A Malloy staffer asked him to leave, and he did.

That's harassment. I mean saying you would leave if asked, and when asked doing so is just so harassing. I guess the only way to answer that level of harassment is to have your guy shove his camera into the personal space of the people the other candidate is talking to.

Please Malloy supporters. Defend this kind of BS.

The question is not what you are, we already determined that, we are now negotiating price.
electrealdemocrats.com Online since 3/07 -- TimetogoJoe.com Online s

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by: Met00 @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 20:50:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Creepy (0.00 / 0)

Apparently, McArdie is stepping up his game...by trailing Lamont's Deputy press secretary across the state.

...McArdie is having a great time.

And please note that Lamont's press secretary WAS NOT with Lamont at the time her tweeted her message.

...creepy.

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by: ctblogger @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 20:54:25 PM UTC

...and today, he leaves Facebook in shame (4.00 / 1)

Chris McArdle's Facebook account today:

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by: ctblogger @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 13:38:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

probably because he was being publicly attacked by name by a bunch of people (0.00 / 0)

his behavior was obnoxious, but you have been openly attacking him by name on this site.  I would probably have done the same.

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by: leaveonlyfootprints @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 20:05:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Obnoxious? (0.00 / 0)

How about criminal? Doesn't Connecticut have a stalker law?

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by: BranfordBoy @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 20:36:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm pretty sure we have no stalker law. (0.00 / 0)

at least nothing with teeth, as far as I know.

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by: Tim White @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 21:33:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Failed logic (4.00 / 1)

So although a Malloy tracker throws a camera in a candidate's face (and complained about a Lamont tracker allegedly doing the same thing to Malloy) and basically stalks an campaign staffer, he's somehow a victim because his actions were exposed to the public.

Yeah, that makes sense...

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by: ctblogger @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 20:50:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

the only thing he's a victim of (0.00 / 0)

is the bad upbringing that resulted in his complete lack of manners.

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by: chele @ Tue Aug 10, 2010 at 23:01:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

We can expect better. We should. (4.00 / 8)

Trackers are a reality, and IMO it's perfectly fair to send a tracker to a public event where an opponent is making a public address in order to record the remarks for posterity, and even for possible use in later campaign ads.  Earlier this cycle, it seemed like a lot of people were complaining about the mere presence of trackers at public events, period, which seems to me to be a whole lot of disingenuous hand-wringing over nothing.  

But when trackers are rude, disruptive, intimidating, and interfere with a candidate's ability to interact with people in public, they are out of bounds.  It's possible to be an effective tracker without being rude and without being an asshole.  

But I think most reasonable people who participate actively in politics can agree on some basic ground rules for trackers.  At the very least, within our own party, we should be able to agree on some very simple rules of engagement, like:

1) Trackers should have no more or less access to a candidate or candidate's event than any regular member of the public (or press, if they request press access).

This means trackers are fine at a public rally, a public speech, an openly advertised meeting open to the public, or a press conference.

This means trackers are NOT okay at a private fundraiser, a private home to which they were not invited, or a campaign meeting open to volunteers of the campaign.

2) Trackers should do their work in the open, making clear their affiliation to a campaign without being disruptive.

3) Trackers are at an event to record, not provoke.

4) What is rude and unacceptable in normal human interaction is rude and unacceptable behavior by trackers.  

Following on a candidate's heels is rude and unacceptable.  Standing in a candidate's personal space is rude and unacceptable.  Interrupting or listening in to a candidate's one-on-one conversations with individual members of the public is rude and unacceptable.  Following a candidate into the bathroom, inserting oneself into private conversation, trailing a candidate to a car, filming a candidate while eating - all of these are rude and unacceptable.

Filming a candidate's speech to a group at a DTC meeting is in-bounds.  Following a candidate around all night, stepping into someone's personal space and filming her/his one-on-one conversations with individual voters is out of bounds.

When trackers are being rude and behaving unacceptably, we should call them out on it.  We should call the campaigns and complain.  We should pressure party leaders and elected officials to join us in these complaints.  And we should all expect and demand better.

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by: Maura @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 22:17:39 PM UTC

I don't know that it's intentional intimidation, but... (0.00 / 0)

it certainly is annoying... and intrusive.  I know we won't see unilateral disarmament.  But it would be nice to see all candidates agree to at least avoid intruding on personal space.  (Whatever that is:  18", 36", etc.)

And it's one thing to be showing up at announced events.  But does some of this start to feel like stalking?  Following cars, etc.

Not to overstate it here, but when it comes to POTUS... personal safety is a very real concern IMO.  How will a candidate distinguish between an opponent's OR team and potentially violent people?

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by: Tim White @ Mon Aug 09, 2010 at 22:26:17 PM UTC