(Pittsburgh) Councilman Calls For Apology Over (McCain Volunteer) Attack Hoax

[sabra]

Source: WPXI

PITTSBURGH -- A Pittsburgh city councilman said he is upset with the way Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign handled last week's alleged attack of a supporter, which later turned out to be a hoax.

The Rev. Ricky Burgess said a McCain-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin official was pushing a version of the story that was far more explosive than what was confirmed at the time.

"I don't know why the campaign decided to push or publicize this story, but it did have the effect, I believe, of insulting Pittsburgh as a whole and also, perhaps, trying to polarize this region by accusing an African-American male of a dastardly deed," said Burgess.

...

Burgess sent a letter to McCain, saying, "That one of your campaign spokespersons would spread such an incendiary story before any confirmation of the facts is both irresponsible and runs counter to our nation's constitutional guarantee."

Burgess also asked for an apology to the city of Pittsburgh and its black community.

Read more: http://www.wpxi.com/news/17814836/detail.html#-

[Mari333]

1. good move. keep it at the top of the news. n/t

[glitch]

2. Volunteer/Supporter? I thought she was a paid employee of their campaign.

Did that change?

[SoCalNative]

3. She was never a paid employee

She was part of the College Republicans group who took a year off school to "work" for the election.

[philly_bob]

5. Differing stories on this. Please link to story that resolves "volunteer" status. n/t

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

8. Links below

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/analysis/506

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/27/14243/662

A paid staffer of the College Republican National Committee, a break-off of the RNC, who claims to have worked for them in NY before being sent to PA.

As we all know, to avoid FEC limitations having elected to take public funding, McShame and friends are laundering most of their money through "Victory Funds" which include the campaign with the RNC, its subsidiaries, and state committees.

[pepperbear]

6. I object to those quotes around the word "work"

after all, it takes alot of effort to apply makeup and carve one's face up, especially when you're doing it for mccain.

[John Q. Citizen]

15. And a Repo took the pictures and provided them to the Repos for disemination to

the public.

She had the help of other professionals in getting her story to go international.

I have no doubt that the disemination of the photo and the story was a coordinated effort. It wasn't an accidental result of the false police report. It was an intended result.

Ashley was a paid Repo staffer, a College Republican field representative whose job it was to recruit and train volunteers to work for McCain.

The College Republicans are a training ground for future campaign operatives. People from Rove to Atwater came through there and they pay their employees well enough so they can stay and train. It's true they also recruit volunteers, but the folks who are there through the entire campaign with specific responsibilities and chains of command are paid. They have to be.

[Blue State Bandit]

21. She was to be paid $3,600 for her time ...

between August and election day.

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/analysis/506

Something was missed in the reporting of the story, however. Though Todd was an employee of the College Republican National Committee (CRNC) -- as confirmed today to BuzzFlash by a representative there named Ethan Eioln -- nearly every report demoted her to the role of volunteer. In fact, she was hired by the CRNC and promised a contract wage of $3,600 from August until Election Day. After she was charged by police for filing a false report, her employment with the CRNC was http://blog.crnc.org/2008/10/24/crnc-statement-on-ashley-todd/">terminated.

[yardwork]

25. Yes, she was a PAID employee of the College Republicans. They fired her Friday.

She was being paid several thousands of dollars per month to work for the McCain-Palin campaign. She was paid by the College Republicans National Committee.

[glitch]

27. Thought so, thanks! Not paid by the campaign, but paid to work for the campaign

by College Republicans National Committee, who probably get funded by the RNC.
In other words - the usual re:puke: muddied money.

[yardwork]

29. The College Republicans are funded by the RNC. They used to be part of the RNC.

The College Republicans National Committee only became a separate organization in 2002. Yes, 2002. Until then it was part of the RNC. How independent do we think they are now?

Don't answer that.

[glitch]

32. Can't get beyond trying to associate "independent" with "Republican" under any circumstance

so I won't :P

[geckosfeet]

43. And we all know that those volunteers are not compensated but are allowed

to take high profile PR positions that make statements to the press.

Riiiiiiiiggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttttttt.

I smell a mole.

[Critters2]

4. She was paid staff of the College Republicans. NOT a volunteer!!

That needs to be said.

[amdezurik]

13. ok you're reading it wrong

it never says Ashley was the one pushing the story as a paid campaign person, it does say a spokesman of the campaign did push salacious and false "details" (like how the backwards B was for Obama) which did happen, i don't recall the guys name, sorry. And Sarah was out there pushing it big time as well.

[yardwork]

26. I think that you may have misunderstood post #2. Both Todd and the campaign staffers were paid.

Neither Todd nor the other campaign staffers were volunteers. I think that post #2 was taking issue with the phrasing in the article that implied that Ashley Todd was just a "McCain supporter." In fact, she was an employee of the College Republicans hired to work for the McCain campaign.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

7. Good for Alderman Burgess. We should flood McShame with emails and calls

Call John McCain at [phone] and express your outrage.

Fill all their voicemail boxes.

Waste their time if you reach a human.

Then please spend an equal amount of time calling or knocking doors for Obama-Biden.

[sojourner]

9. and how about that "REPUDIATION" of such tactics from Sen. McCain?

He needs to REPUDIATE the official(s) who pushed the hoax, and take a clear stand on this issue. Whhyyyy, if he doesn't, then we can only conclude that HE HIMSELF approves of, condones and therefore is a willing participant in making up lies that target innocent black men and making false incendiary claims against Obama supporters.

Not holding my breath on that, though it would be great to see him called out on it, like on the teevee or something.

[stillcool]

10. good for him..

I wonder what Ashley, and the McCain campaign that propelled the story wanted the end result to be.

[barbtries]

11. it would certainly be a graceful act

if john mccain were to do that. i won't hold my breath.

[Soylent Brice]

12. looks like the real black eye

ended up being on the citizens of Pittsburgh. They should make her go on national television and apologize, she should be evaluated for mental health problems, and should be barred from any other political "work" in the future.

[SteelPenguin]

19. She's not a citizen of Pittsburgh

She's from Texas and was put in Pittsburgh by the McCain campaign. She is not a Pittsburgher.

[Zambero]

22. That gets Pittsburgh off the hook, still...

the McCain campaign put her there, she represented their local campaign effort, and McCain needs to address her actions.

[jhrobbins]

28. And BTW, she's not FROM Texas-she just goes to school here

I think I read she's from New York. Sorry to NY if I got it wrong.

[yardwork]

30. It's interesting that we don't know a thing about her family.

[Blue Diadem]

37. I read somewhere that she's estranged from her Mother.

No mention of her father.

[yardwork]

41. I read that, too, and that's all I've heard. Kind of unusual.

[gatorboy]

42. Does anyone know where the fuck this girl is from?

Who is the real Ashley Todd? :rofl:

[Soylent Brice]

38. what i meant was

that the indirect victims of this bitch's actions were the citizens of Pittsburgh. Her actions implied that Pittsburgh is somehow not a safe place for McCain supporters, and got people to feel fear, racially motivated fear. it's appalling behavior and this woman should be ashamed.

[dhpgetsit]

14. Wrong thread. Delete

[Doctor_J]

16. Why would they apologize? It was planned by and fed to the media by

McSame's PR people. And McSame's polls #'s have gone up since it happened. Since no one in the media has covered it, they might try it again.

[JimDandy]

17. Good--another news cycle about a McCain flub-up. n/t

[Kajsa]

18. KO said the same thing last night

in his Special Comment.

He asked that McCain say SOMETHING
regarding this damaging and irresponsible
hoax.

As Biden would say,

" their silence is DEAFENING!"

[LibertyLover]

20. Here's the apology that Pittsburgh and the black community

will get from McCain/Palin:

Gosh, we are sorry that you are offended. You know, the standard Republican apology.

[Zambero]

23. And, golly...

we were hoping to make political hay out of this incident and then it just blew up in our faces. We feel your pain!

[Critters2]

44. No, it's "We're Sorry IF we offended anyone". nt

[IsItJustMe]

24. That is the least the McCain/Palin ticket can do. Will they do it. Hell no. They have no shame.

[glitch]

31. Repukes think apologizing when wrong is weakness. Everyone else sees it as maturity. nt

[Kalifornia.Kid]

33. Repugs can never ADMIT EVIL

[felinetta]

34. Don't hold your breath! McCain will use anything to win!

[Window]

35. Way to go Pittsburgh! The news cycle was much too short on this story.

[yasmina27]

36. I posted about this yesterday :)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7629565&mesg_id=7629565

[robertpaulsen]

39. Apologize, or put out an "I am Ashley Todd!" TV ad.

She worked for the McCain campaign. They should either repudiate her or embrace her.

[JohnWxy]

40. I think he's got a good point. They should have made sure this was a real event before

helping to spread a fraud. Are they going to be talking about the news on whether this young woman will be charged with filing a false police report (she should be) as enthusiastically?

[wroberts189]

45. republicans NEVER say sorry

one exception ...only when facing jail time.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

46. Exactly. ! They owe them an apology ! McSame needs to be called out on this ! n/t