How Rudy got 2nd in CNHT New Hampshire straw poll

[angrydragon]

http://blog.lewrockwell.com/lewrw/archives/014000.html

July 08, 2007
How the Rudester Came in Second
Posted by Lew Rockwell at July 8, 2007 03:19 PM

Writes Brinck Slattery: "I was going to Boston to spend the weekend with some friends (I live in CT), and since I was already up there I decided to spend Saturday at the straw poll in New Hampshire. It was a very interesting event, and the support for Ron Paul was overwhelming. Almost everyone who spoke tried to appeal to the Paul supporters at one point or another. The Romney campaign must have sent a crew up before the event, because all the little islands in the road on the way there were covered in Romney signs, but at the event itself there were only four or five people supporting him. Guiliani's campaign presence consisted of two lost-looking teenagers, most probably part of that campaign's collegiate mercenary army. Interestingly enough, Guiliani came in second place with 22 votes. How did it happen?

"The way the poll worked, you got one vote for each 15-dollar ticket you purchased. I was told that when they arrived, the Guiliani kids threw down 225 dollars, effectively purchasing 15 votes. Who's spamming the polls now?"



http://ronpaul2008.typepad.com/ron_paul_2008/2007/07/press-release-r.html

[foofighter20x]

Busted.

[foofighter20x]

Digg it here. (http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Giuliani_gets_2d_in_NH_straw_poll)

[Alle88]

Isnt this just an outrage! I mean buying votes, its corrupt. Id say he should get disqualified for the presidential campaign... well you can always dream, that mafia scum

[Original_Intent]

Really, the Ames straw poll is about as bad, in many cases it boils down to which pays more people $35 each to get into the straw poll and vote for them. The only winner is the Iowa GOP. Hopefully this year will be different, and it is mostly real supporters who go vote.

[kylejack]

Really, the Ames straw poll is about as bad, in many cases it boils down to which pays more people $35 each to get into the straw poll and vote for them. The only winner is the Iowa GOP. Hopefully this year will be different, and it is mostly real supporters who go vote.

Yeah, its a shame money has to be spent for this publicity, but I think getting first or even second or third in the straw poll would be a huge boon for the campaign. It seems to be the most important short-term goal in my mind.

I think playing up the "these other bums are skipping your state!" angle is the best way to appeal to Iowa voters, right off the bat. Of course, that's on top of the freedom message that is so popular with people.

[foofighter20x]

Really, the Ames straw poll is about as bad, in many cases it boils down to which pays more people $35 each to get into the straw poll and vote for them. The only winner is the Iowa GOP. Hopefully this year will be different, and it is mostly real supporters who go vote.

Remember our strategy for Ames. We'd like RP voters to purchase their own tickets, however, if any other campaign offers you a ticket for free--no strings attached (i.e. no requirements like "if you take our ticket you must pledge to vote our candidate")--grab it! ;)

[smtwngrl]

Writes Brinck Slattery: "I was going to Boston to spend the weekend with some friends (I live in CT), and since I was already up there I decided to spend Saturday at the straw poll in New Hampshire. It was a very interesting event, and the support for Ron Paul was overwhelming. Almost everyone who spoke tried to appeal to the Paul supporters at one point or another. The Romney campaign must have sent a crew up before the event, because all the little islands in the road on the way there were covered in Romney signs, but at the event itself there were only four or five people supporting him. Guiliani's campaign presence consisted of two lost-looking teenagers, most probably part of that campaign's collegiate mercenary army. Interestingly enough, Guiliani came in second place with 22 votes. How did it happen?

"The way the poll worked, you got one vote for each 15-dollar ticket you purchased. I was told that when they arrived, the Guiliani kids threw down 225 dollars, effectively purchasing 15 votes. Who's spamming the polls now?"



I don't know, this story sounds a little fishy to me.

Of course, perhaps this doesn't mean they were somehow able to vote 15 times. Maybe they purchased the others to give away.

[Erazmus]

I don't know, this story sounds a little fishy to me.

Of course, perhaps this doesn't mean they were somehow able to vote 15 times. Maybe they purchased the others to give away.

Agreed. When I see a statement made like that, I expect someone to substantiate it with some evidence. I'm not saying it isn't true. But I'd like to know a little more. The part that gets me is:


I was told that when they arrived, , the Guiliani kids threw down 225 dollars...

Who told him?

[toowm]

I can't confirm the $225. There were a ton of Rudy signs at the interstate exit and at several places on the way to the fairgrounds, yet I did see just the two younger people wearing the Rudy shirts. I'd say the "t-shirt total" was at least 50% Ron Paul, and many other supporters had "neutral" shirts like me because they were collecting tickets or manning booths.

My wife and I actually ended up with 3 tickets because we arrived in two cars: I signed in and took both tickets, then when she came, the greeter knew her and gave another. Once we met up, I went back to the gate and turned one in.

This was a legitimate straw poll from a traditional conservative organization. I know that many conservatives have issues with the three front runners. McCain is done in New Hampshire. Rudy and Romney have very little grassroots here but clearly have pumped money into operatives. Dr. Paul has 100s of grassroots supporters and 2-3 meetups a week. Even supporters of other conservatives acknowledge the power of his message.

This was the real deal, but we still have lots of work to do in NH before the primary.

[Lesgov]

To vote you had to turn your ticket in for a ballot, so I don't see how anyone could cheat, one ticket, one ballot, one person.

[foofighter20x]

To vote you had to turn your ticket in for a ballot, so I don't see how anyone could cheat, one ticket, one ballot, one person.

What stopped them from getting in line again and again, hmm?

[smtwngrl]

What stopped them from getting in line again and again, hmm?

So, what you are saying, by implication was that the straw poll was meaningless? :p

Because, if you are saying that Giuliani's supporters could have done this, you are saying any candidate's (including RP's) supporters could have done that. Is the NH Straw Poll really so corruptible? I don't want to believe that's true.

[CurtisLow]

Where does the money go they collect for the straw tickets?

[foofighter20x]

So, what you are saying, by implication was that the straw poll was meaningless? :p

Because, if you are saying that Giuliani's supporters could have done this, you are saying any candidate's (including RP's) supporters could have done that. Is the NH Straw Poll really so corruptible? I don't want to believe that's true.

I don't see anybody claiming that RP's supporters bought more than one ticket per person, so the only votes really suspect here are Rudy's.

[Lesgov]

What stopped them from getting in line again and again, hmm?

There was only one guy there exchanging tickets for ballots, so unless he was owned by Rudy, he would not give out more than one ballot per person.
Why is it so hard to believe that Rudy got 22 votes?

[foofighter20x]

There was only one guy there exchanging tickets for ballots, so unless he was owned by Rudy, he would not give out more than one ballot per person.
Why is it so hard to believe that Rudy got 22 votes?

You miss my point.

Over 250 people voted. I doubt the guy was keeping track of who had already received a ballot for a ticket.

We've dicussed this phenomena here in the forum before when talking about Ames, Iowa. It seems awfully fishy when campaigns buy all the straw poll tickets for the voters and it's just as fishy when a person buys more than one ticket.

I never doubted that Rudy got 22 votes either. He obviously did because that's how many ballots there were that had a mark next to his name. My question is: how many physical people actually voted for Rudy, not just how many ballots got cast with a vote for him on it?