Who are "Americans for Progress and Opportunity?" (Push-polling)

[Killarney]

They are calling people in Tennessee trying to discourage them from voting for Kerry or Clark. When pressed about who they are and who they are supporting rather than Kerry or Clark they just say "Americans for Progress and Opportunity."

I Googled the name and found nothing.
:shrug:

[lastknowngood]

1. well it could be Rove an co. or other campgains who are

competive their.

[LiberalBushFan]

2. Here's my tortured theory

Only Clark can stop Kerry, so they want an Edwards win in TN which would guarantee Edwards stays and Clark drops out, leading to a Kerry nomination.

[Killarney]

3. Wait...

So you think Kerry is push-polling himself?
Have you been drinking? :crazy:

[Jerseycoa]

4. Clark and Kerry only?

Is that right? They don't mention Edwards?

[Killarney]

5. Yeah, they only discouraged voting for Kerry or Clark.

[anti-bush]

6. Did they call you?

Questions:

Did you receive a call? Did somebody tell you they were called by them? Was this reported on a website somewhere? Is it possible the name might be something other than "Americans for Progress and Opportunity"?

My first inclination when I read this was "There are only two people who would benefit from this : Dean and Edwards." Edwards most directly, although Dean benefits from any instances of Kerry not winning.

This definitely doesn't sound like Edwards, and I hate to speculate who might be behind this. But in this wacky political season, you never know.

[Killarney]

7. It's on Kerry's forum

No, I'm not in Tennesee. There is a message board (forum) on John Kerry's website and they are talking about it there. A woman got a call tonight and gave the details.

[Jerseycoa]

8. I wonder if it's

to discourage the military vote against Bush.

[Arlington]

9. The R's want Dean

They will do anything to get him.

A couple years ago I worked with a guy who was a Republican bagman. His specialty was leaving DC on Friday night with $100,000 in a briefcase, flying to whatever hotspot needed a little polling help and setting up a phone bank -- then returning back home on Sunday afternoon.

[stickdog]

13. This is SO LAUGHABLE. If the Repukes want Dean, they've

sure done a shitty job of getting him, haven't they?

Starting with their Club for Growth anti-Dean ads, and their continual reverse psychology boasts about how much they desperately wanted Dean to win -- I guess they are all dumb as bricks, right?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. The name sounds like Republican astroturf

The Repubs are good at coming up with bogus organizations whose names reflect the opposite of what they really stand for. Americans for Forest Rejuvenation might be a timber company that wants to clearcut and plant seedlings. People for Health Care is probably an insurance lobby. Citizens for Individual Liberty probably wants the right to discriminate. The Foundation for Corporate Reform probably wants even fewer restrictions on monopolies. You get the idea.

[blm]

11. BINGO!

.

[Jerseycoa]

14. I think so too

They're concerned about Bush losing the military vote. There's no other explanation for the only two veteran candidates to be singled out.

[burrowowl]

15. Yes, it really does

sound like a Repub invention.

[KaraokeKarlton]

12. Well, when this crap was pulled on Dean

I distinctly recall many people telling Dean supporters to get a thicker skin, and that this was just normal primary events and to stop whining. For some reason, I suspect many of those individuals find it much more worthy of outrage if it's happening to their candidate. Sorry, I just can't offer any sympathy over this happening to Kerry. I will say that I sympathize with Clark supporters because their candidate is getting shafted, too.

[progressivebydesign]

16. I'd say republicans on this one..

Dean hasn't the money to do push-polling, and he wouldn't jeopardize things now, Edwards? Would he do that? His supporters say no. I'd think Republicans on this one. Too bad everyone lost interest in finding out who financed those despicable ads against Dean.. they're probably the same jerks. A google search turns up nothing.. so it's a new front organization.. or a fake one. Bastards.