I just got a telephone call from the Obama Campaign "demading" a donation

[saracat]

starting at $150! The script indicated that I had no choice(in other words there was NO other candidate even possible) and there was NO interest in lower tier donations.I think I will contact his campaign and let them know this is offensive! I like Obama and this turned me off.I understand he needs money and if I had some I might give it to him but not that much and with no other options, say $25? And to say ,in a Primary there aren'r other choices? Bad PR.

[AndyA]

1. I wonder if it's some kind of scam.

I can't imagine any candidate would do such a thing. I'd look to the other side of the aisle for the basis of this call. They're not above pulling stunts like this. (Sounds very Roveian to me.)

[Tellurian]

7. ...yup..from the GOP playbook!

I can't imagine OBama's approval for any such thing!

[maggiegault]

14. Call Your Attorney General IMMEDIATELY

Have them look into it. Stuff like this happened all the time here in Arizona during the November 2006 elections and it was dirty tricks by the GOP. All of the instances that we could document went straight to the Attorney General, who shut it all down without further delay.

There is a "free pass" for telephone campaigns for politicians, but that doesn't cover fraud.

[Tellurian]

18. Saracat, star *69 them if you still can..

anyone answers tell them you were cut off and want to send a donation..
Get the info and call your AG and get it reported...

[saracat]

24. Did.The number called cannot be reached.

[AlCzervik]

38. did you google the #?

[saracat]

42. There is NO number.Says out of area.

[maggiegault]

70. It Doesn't Matter

Call your AG anyway. They should be able to get your phone records, if you authorize it, should they deem that to be necessary. Chances are, they will.

[LSparkle]

25. "I'm calling with information about TAMMY DUCKWORTH ... "

Nuff said. Sounds like a scam to me.

[peacetalksforall]

27. Sounds like a scam. Who would do that - political criminals or

just plain criminals?

[redqueen]

2. I smell a rat. n/t

[Poll_Blind]

6. Indeed. n/t

PB

[MeDeMax]

11. I concur -- n/t

[Glimmer of Hope]

3. They doesn't make sense. Weren't Dean and Clark very successful in fund raising partly

because of small donations?

[Mortos]

4. Yeah, keep a record of the number

and try to find out if it really was an official Obama campaign. I can't imagine campaigns doing cold call donation requests so early.

This smells fishy to me.

Post the phone number of the originating call and I will do a little investigation.

[saracat]

13. I can't.Just said "out of area"

And when I say "demand" they "requested politely" but it was the tone of the script and there were NO lesser options.I did have a thought, could they be calling state party officials thinking they have more to donate or would be more willing?

[maggiegault]

17. That's Another Red Flag

They CAN use Out of Area for political calls, but legitimate ones almost always list a real number.

[madame defarge]

5. Call them back & complain

but don't give up on Obama.

[saracat]

15. Can't.No number but I haven't picked a candidate yet anyway.

[Mass]

8. Surprising. His website takes contributions starting where you want.

https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/main?source=homenavbar

For the other question, it is too early. This is the Obama campaign raising money for their candidate, not the DNC, DCCC or DSCC raising money for Democrats. So, I do not see the problem here.

It could also be the case of a very unskilled telemarketer trying to fill a quota quickly. These calls are probably outsourced to a third party company. Send an email to the campaign and tell them what happened. They may be interested to know.

[shrdlu]

9. Typical republic dirty trick...

...but do notify the campaign. They need to know.

[murielm99]

10. Are you sure it was actually

from the Obama campaign? Could it have been one of those calls to put you off Obama?

I am an Illinois Democrat, active in the party. I would be one of the first to get asked. I get so many solicitations for money you would not believe it. I have not had any solicitations from him since his senate campaign.

If I get any calls like that, I am going to check them out and pass them along to the appropriate people if they turn out to be false.

[Norquist Nemesis]

26. Exactly! The Cons have bought lists of Democratic voters

I'd like to know more about "the script" too. Were they wanting a credit card number over the phone? That's a sure sign of a scam. We they saying you can write a check? Who was the payee?

Too many red flags on that call. I'd contact the AG, the Obama Campaign, AND Obama's office ASAP. Then, if it proves a scam or (more likely) a Con dirty trick, I'd be letting the MSMs know too.

[RaleighNCDUer]

29. They don't need to buy lists of Democrats --

remember all those election HQs that were burglarized during the last election? Cashboxes untouched, but computers stolen?

I read of such burglaries in at least a half-dozen states. Those computers had Democratic voter lists.

[GDAEx2]

12. I donated $25 to Obama yesterday

eom

[patrice]

16. Awful lot of free-lancers around now.

Double, tripple, and quadruple agents of various kinds.

[rhombus]

19. I'm very suspicious of this. No one I know of has gotten a call

I've been on Edwards, Clinton, Obama and Clark phone lists for as long as I can remember. I'll find out more about this call if it is true or not.

[lancdem]

23. I haven't either

just DNC, DCCC-type calls in the past few months.

[question everything]

20. If real, attribute this to young, inexperience

and enthusiastic volunteer.

As others suggested, try to contact the campaign and tell them. Either way they need to know about this.

[Breeze54]

21. Give me a break!

Young, inexperienced? :wtf:

Demanding $$ and especially that amount, is a scam and and arm twister!

The "sweet, innocent things" aren't that innocent, young or sweet. :grr:

[Cabcere]

22. That sounds kind of suspicious...

...and slightly reminiscent of the "robo-call" tactics that were used by some (Republican) campaigns back in November, calling people repeatedly and ostensibly asking for their support for a certain candidate (but in actuality just trying to tick people off enough that they would vote for that candidate's (Republican) opponent). :shrug: (I think I got that right...I'm pretty sure I remember hearing about that, although here in Virginia the focus was more on racial intimidation - several minorities were reportedly called and threatened with arrest if they showed up at the polling place. :grr: )

[mnhtnbb]

28. Sounds like a scam. NEVER give your credit card to someone who called you.

[Pirate Smile]

30. I remember Kerry had some people soliciting for his PAC that turned

people off also and caused quite a few threads on it.

I wouldn't hold it against Obama.

[NYCGirl]

53. Exactly. Sounds like the "Friends of John Kerry" scam we saw a while back. NT

[rhombus]

31. Saracat, which state do you live in?

I called the Obama campaign and they said they haven't done any phone call fundraising yet. So this call must be from a malicious source.

You need to post more call info -- state, time, call duration, etc. I'll pass it on to the Obama campaign.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

32. I got a call this morning at 9:51 am from someone purporting to be

from Obama's campaign. It came up on caller id as unknown caller. The minute she started her spiel, I cut her off and told her honestly, I don't have any money right now to donate to anyone's campaign and hung up.

I'm in Illinois and this is really suspicious.

[saracat]

34. Arizona . About noon Took 2 minutes. or less.

[rhombus]

37. Thanks. will pass on to the campaign

[saracat]

41. You are welcome. Please do.They need to know.I will alert our AG.

[maggiegault]

71. *DEFINITELY* CALL THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

I am in Arizona too, and I know from personal experience that the AG will take this matter VERY seriously.

They are very nice, very helpful folks there...we in AZ got a good bunch there.

[Sal Minella]

33. I've seen people asking what Karl is doing these days to earn his money....well.......

coming up with new strategies to discourage people from contributing to Obama, for one thing.....

[Buck Laser]

35. I'm sorry, but I don't believe you. NT

[saracat]

40. Why on earth would I make this up? I am offended that anyone would think that.

I am a proud Democrat and I am a supporter of ALL our candidates.

[snowbear]

46. Wow..

Regardless of which candidate it was.. I would have crafted my message here to say that it was a "Caller claiming to be from... etc.."

The way you chose to post this makes it sound as if you were 100% certain it WAS Obama's campaign.

If people are that gullible.. it's no wonder Karl Rove was so successful at scamming voters.

If you had confirmed that indeed it was his campaign, then sure --your title would be fine.. but otherwise...

[thoughtcrime1984]

36. Bad PR??

Do you actually believe a campaign would call people and demand 150 or more dollars? No way. Don't be so quick to think badly of Obama. It has to be either a scam or deception on the part of someone anti-Obama trying to once again make him look bad. There are plenty of Repugs, and yes, even Dems that would love to see him fall flat on his face, so that their candidate has a better chance. I hope we can differentiate what really matters from what is concocted or trivial.

[saracat]

39. Yes. I do. I explained what I meant by "demand" and sometimes

either paid solicitors or volunteers aren't that great on the phone.They rambled of a list of all the great things Barak has done and then politely asked me to donate "starting" at $150.I don't think badly of Obama. If his people made this call, their PR skills were lacking, that is all.That being said, I am investigating the legitimacy of this call.

[thoughtcrime1984]

43. Hopefully volunteers will realize that they are reflecting on Sen. Obama

and conduct themselves as honorably as possible.

[saracat]

44. That is a lesson all candidates should instill in their volunteers and employees.

[thoughtcrime1984]

45. Virtually impossible to do, however

Anonymous people from everywhere are joining grassroots campaigns. Oh well, doesn't lower my opinion of Obama the person one iota.

[snowbear]

48. If you can't confirm the legitimacy, why suggest his campaign is guilty of this call?

I am baffled by your thread -- it makes absolutely NO SENSE.

Where is the confirmation that it was Obama's campaign as you stated in your opening?

[saracat]

52. Wow yourself. This was MY experience. The caller did claim to be from

Obama's Campaign. I *69 the number.I tried to call it back. I called my AG .I gave the info on THIS thread to another Duer who is going to call the Obama Campaign.What the heck do you want from me? I am really irritated by the implication that I am making this up or something or didn't "do enough'. This isn't my responsibility.I was just alerting DU and stating my opinion. Some seem to think I don't have the right to relate my experience.I only related it as I experienced it.

[saracat]

62. What is really amazing is that not one Duer even questioned it when it was posted

that Hillary did something far worse in her solicitations.I am NOT repeating it as I never received a call from anyone "claiming" to be from her campaign. But not one poster that I am aware of asked for a "confirmation" if the story was true. I just find that interesting.And for the record again, this isn't about supporting any candidate at the moment.I have not yet made my decision.

[AtomicKitten]

47. I would have been suspicious from the get-go.

Having worked lots of fund-raising endeavors, callers are working from a script and it isn't likely there are rogue volunteers.

This scenario would have IMMEDIATELY raised my bullshit detector.

On edit: When your natural response is to blame our side, Karl Rove gets a cookie.

[Low Notes]

49. Call Obama's Office!

The way to find out about this is to call Senator Obama's office
Washington D.C. Office
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
[phone]
[phone] fax
(202 228-1404 TDD
Tell them what happened, so they can tell you whether it was legitimate and so they can investigate themselves.

[snowbear]

50. Really! Call Obama's office before making such incredible allegations..

Then pray like hell the mod's lock your thread until you have actual evidence that a sitting Senator's campaign actually pulled this crap.

This whole thread sounds fishy as hell.

[saracat]

54. It is incredible to you that a Campaign might have not so swift

volunteers? I have seen a lot of overly enthusiastic newbies botch solicitation calls in this manner.

[snowbear]

56. Sara... You're making an allegation, but confirm you have no proof..

That's what my problem is with your thread.

Had I received a call like that from ANY candidate, I would have confirmed it before putting it on political message board.

[saracat]

57. How about I "confirm" they said it was from his campaign? Even his office

can't confirm it wasn't from his campaign. I understand what you are saying but I am saying "If' this was the campaign, it was bad PR. Maybe we will find it is a scam or an incompetant volunteer.Either way the result is the same.It has to be dealt with.

[snowbear]

59. I'll take bogus phone calls for $500 Alex...

And I'll agree with the majority here.

Pure bunk.

[karynnj]

68. In fairness, Saracat simply explained what happened

There is no viable way to confirm it. In fact, posting it here gives a bit of an answer on how wiode spread it is - because either eventually others will experience the same thing or not. If it happens to several people, the later ones knowing this is anm issue may ask them where they are calling form, or log when the call started and ended.

Then, if the campaign did have people making these calls, they should fire or re- train them.

If they are not from the campaign, the campaign would have reason to go to court and ask for the inbound record to those people. (Consider the trouble the NH Republicans got in for blocking the out bound lines by constantly calling them.)

There are far more reasons to post this than not to - especially if the point is made that it may or may not be what the caller said it was.

[saracat]

69. Thank you karynnj.That is exactly the point!

[maggiegault]

72. Well, That's What YOU Would Have Done.

She didn't.

She did the right thing taking it up here, because then she was able to make contact with me, who has intimate knowledge of how seriously such matters are taken at the Arizona Attorney General's office.

And here's something...I don't like Barack Obama. Not for president, not now. Too young, too inexperienced, too much media hype. In my opinion, he lacks the gravitas. He certainly does not deserve, IMHO, the level of adoration many Dems seem hell-bent upon giving him.

[Low Notes]

51. Let us Know

If you do call his office, could you let us know what happens?

[saracat]

55. Called his office.They will have the campaign check it out.

[salin]

58. Do call the campaign because a) if it is a scam

they need to know; if b) it is hired fundraisers run amuk - again they need to know; or c) that really is their fundraising method - they need to quickly realize the negative impact of strong arm tactics.

I would guess a or b.

[saltpoint]

60. A strong Rovian scent attends the crime scene.

I feel pretty sure you didn't hear from anybody representing Senator Obama.

[IndianaGreen]

61. Looks like Carville & Co are back to doing Rovian tricks

We saw a lot of this during the 2004 campaign.

It is too early for the GOP to be pulling this sort of stuff, so my suspicions are on Team Hillary.

[blm]

64. Yep - sounds exactly like that bogus group pretending to be Friends of John Kerry

which oddly enough showed up in 2005. I figured then it was Dem operatives calling Dem donor lists to antagonize them rudely in Kerry's name.

[retread]

63. My reaction to this thread was to go to Obama's web site and donate. Please

no more of these this month. I can't afford it.

[Vinca]

65. I got the same call here in New Hampshire, right after he'd

announced his candidacy. I had the same reaction you did. The guy was not happy when I told him I planned to donate online and was unwilling to promise $150. I thought it might be a scam as another poster mentioned. If I was a person on the fence, this kind of fundraising would make the difference.

[saracat]

66. Thank you thank you thank you! At least you know I am not making this up for nefarious reasons!

[Colobo]

67. They are trying to destroy him

Both some in our side and the GOP. They will do whatever it takes to take him out of the race.