‘Bernie Bernstein’ Robocall Backfires
The laughably anti-Semitic robocall* from “Washington Post reporter Bernie Bernstein” offering “$5,000 to $7,000” for stories about Roy Moore that would not be checked for legitimacy might seem like an incredibly stupid maneuver. The truth is it happens in every close election, and not just when Republicans are involved.
Every political aide and operative you talk to has a story similar to, though almost always less stupid than, the one above. You might recall the 2000 South Carolina primary, in which robocalls went out to likely GOP voters that John McCain had an illegitimate black child. The story was widely reported and blamed on Karl Rove, though his fingerprints were never found.
We only heard about that dirty trick in the aftermath of the election, not while the election was going on. I don’t know if this came out so quickly because of how hotly this race is being contested, or our linked-in social media landscape, but it has the potential to upend how dirty tricks are played in the future.
It’s been a feature of politics in the past decade or so that the person who reveals dirt faces as much danger for releasing the information as the target does — remember Chip Flowers trying to smear Velda when word of his problems with a woman came out? Dirty tricks have become boomerangs.
Ultimately this is bad news for the not-too-bright, which means Republican voters. Research has shown conservatives are more susceptible to believing lies. Which means that Jason’s idea of turning their tactics on them holds a good deal of promise.
*The idea of a newspaper relying on robocalls to reach sources is absurd. Newspapers aren’t going to waste 1.3 cents per call when their reporters can do it as part of their jobs at no extra cost.
I don’t see the “backfire” part.
Unless FOX news picks up the story…
Not on this one, other than knowledge of this will hurt Moore more than the lies help.
But think how susceptible these people are to being lied to, and start thinking about how Democratic operatives can use that to sow confusion and discontent in Republican ranks. If I can figure that out, so can people who do this for a living.
C’mon, Alby. We know how little reporters are paid, but even at 8 bucks an hour, they’d have to make more than 600 calls an hour to beat the price of a robocall.
Once you got the list of women of the proper age you wouldn’t have to make 600 calls total to get what you wanted.
That’s what’s so stupid. This is literally the worst way to find sources I can think of.
Christians, especially evangelicals, are subjected to bullshit from the day they are born. It is a constant bombardment, and is reinforced by family, a potent force in brainwashing. Being raised in superstition in the 21st century is barbaric, and we all pay the price when these folks vote. Look at the contest in Alabama, bullshit capital of the bullshit country that pretends to be the USA.
Backfire? I’m sure it is working just fine among the people it is targeting. Hint – they don’t read the Washington Post. Get real.
” I’m sure it is working just fine among the people it is targeting.”
No you’re not. And if you think having their cover blown on this 5 minutes after it started is how they wanted it to work, you’re blowing even more smoke.
I agree with Scuttlebutt302, but it depends how you define “work.”
This ad is intended shore up the support among the hard core believers, and keep them from getting squishy. The GOP has figured out that elections are not about appealing to “the middle” but getting your voters out in larger numbers than the opposition. Based on that strategy any stupid ploy or lie is useful and “works” if it keeps a few of their voters from straying home.
I’m not saying Dems should try lies and stupid ploys, but I am amazed that Dems haven’t picked up on the “energize your base” strategy – but I’ve been amazed and chagrined by Democrats for nigh on 20 years.
at least Jason330 gets it
The people this is targeting – the GOP base – believes the main stream media is fake news, so they won’t believe it when the cover is blown 5 minutes later. It is confirming to what the GOP base already believes and is meant to jack up their enthusiasm so they don’t stay home.
Really? You think pretending to be Jewy McJewstein is aimed at firing up the base, or is it more trying to discredit the already reported story? Because it seems to me there are more reliable ways to fire up the base. This was about saving Moore’s candidacy, not the election itself.
I don’t know how many people you know from Alabama, but I know a couple. They aren’t pleased to be portrayed as anti-Semitic stump-jumpers. If the election is as close as it looks like it might be, this will do as much harm as good by driving that few percentage points of decent people away from Moore, if he even stays in the race.