Clearly, This Is Necessary *UPDATED*
Apr 30th, 2008 by Dave
Moderator’s Note (04/30/08 9:20AM): It is apparent that Dave’s intent of republishing this original post was missed. In last night’s update, Dave added a post-script that appears to be missed by many. I have modified this post to bring the focus (the postscript) to the top and then added a jump, so not to lose the attention of the readers already familiar with sock-puppetry. No wording was changed in this post, only the order of the appearance.
-Randy Smith
POSTSCRIPT, April 29, 2008:
Since the publishing of this post, the trolls have continued their mischief, on and off. More postcards came and went, as did some candidates.
Recently, an email landed in the inboxes of members of the press, from “Dave Burris” at RepublicansForTruth@gmail.com concerning my efforts to plan a walk-out at the convention. Needless to say, I didn’t send that email. It was sent, however, from the famous Kinko’s IP address, as was this comment on DelawareLiberal.net, where the poster used my personal email address to log in. That is a bit much, don’t you think? Forging my name?
The media is now furious at whoever would forge an email of that nature, and I’ll give you three guesses as to who they think did it.
So the idea that some noble effort on behalf of a noble man is going on here is ludicrous. This is the same crew that smeared Bill Lee and Jan Ting and the same man who threatened Bob Valihura.Nothing noble is going on here at all. And though Protack has threatened to sue Randy and I over this post, it’s been almost 9 months and I’m still waiting for the papers.
Fellas, you forged my name. It’s on, now.
(moderator)…and now for your sockpuppetry post of August, 2007:
UPDATE: Please see this Delaware Liberal post by LiberalGeek, who has discovered some similar evidence.
Sock Puppets, Pink Postcards & The Conscience of the GOP
By FSP and RSmitty, August 7, 2007
INTRODUCTION
Many people have asked me to comment on the pink postcards that have been distributed regularly to the GOP Convention Delegate list since the beginning of May. Until now, I have not done so, due to an investigation that I, with the help of others, conducted.
I am approached regularly by people asking me who is sending the postcards. They are angry that their personal information is being used in this way, angry that some anonymous coward is spewing filth, sometimes racist, anti-Semitic, and often angry that their children have seen the cards. They want me to make it stop. I can’t do that, but I may be able to shed some light on the situation.
SIMILARITIES EMERGE
In the days following the distribution of the first “pink postcards,” I noticed a suspicious similarity between phrases appearing on the cards and some of the phrasing used by an occasional commenter on my website, First State Politics (FSP) who called himself by various names, among them “GOP Vision,” “GOP Disgust,” and “Observer.” These aliases were tied together by IP addresses, phrasing and/or themes, strongly suggesting they were all the same person.
For instance, a phrase used often on the postcards is “Terry Strine, King of Decline.” This is a phrase I have heard no other place but in the postcards and on the blogs by “GOP Vision.”
From a 5/15 post:
“Maybe Protack has the “balls” to win, I know he has the right issues and background but will the King Of Decline, Terry Strine let him??”
“You know, I was dumb enough to attend a “strategy” meeting in Sussex and I get a letter from the King of Decline, Terry Strine saying he wants to…”
Also, some similar themes emerged. This, from this post:
“Maybe you forget that Copeland ran against a sitting, incumbent State Senator, Dallas Winslow and Charlie ran a very negative campaign. He trashed Winslow in every mail piece.”
This, from this 5/17 post:
“… Or, took over Daddy’s business and cashed in for a lot of money (millions I think)…”
One postcard, titled “Convention Update – YAWN” read:
“Terry Strine-King of Decline was reelected…(snip)
…Charlie Copeland chickened out of the Governor’s race then hosted a “Unity Cocktail Party” but didn’t invite Dallas Winslow the incumbent State Senator he trashed in 2002…(snip)
… Levine fresh from selling Daddy’s business asked everyone to kiss his ring…”
The similarities were intriguing.
OTHER BLOGS, TOO…
Also, the same poster made appearances on other blogs
This, on a 5/29 post on Delaware Watch entitled “Rep. Bob Valihura’s Failed Coup,” posting as “GOP Disgust” within the same time frame as someone posting as “GOP Disgust” left 3 comments on FSP:
“To think that Bob Valihura would lead a coup? He is by far the biggest wuss and fake in the legislature.”
This, from Down With Absolutes:
“Valihura leading a coup? Did he ask his wife’s permission first?”
and this:
“Copeland is a putz. Smith could be annoying but he had brains and his word was good.”
And this:
“Hudson should go away. She is living off Louie’s money and can’t shut up…”
Whereafter Mike Matthews issued this edict showing Observer to be our friend GOP Vision:
“Observer 2, We’ve already got an Observer, so please feel free to either use “Observer 2,” or GOP Vision…”
This comment soon came from GOP Vision/Observer:
“Levin is no financial whiz…He almost pulled his business out of Medicaid because of his personal greed. Yes, that is what Delawareans want in a leader.”
The part about Medicaid piqued my interest because the only other place I had seen it was in one of the pink postcards.
The postcard entitled “The Real Elephant’s Heard,” reads, in part:
“You know Levine- the greedy bastard fat cat who wanted to pull his pharmacys out of Medicaid…”
AN EMERGING IDENTITY
Taking these similarities together with other things said in the blog postings and postcards, a few things were definitely emerging. The blogger was definitely a Protack supporter. He pumped up Protack’s chances and was a Protack cheerleader.
In fact, all of the targets of the posts and cards were some kind of obstacle to Mike Protack.
* Charlie Copeland was in the mix for Governor while he was a target.
* Alan Levin could possibly be Protack’s opponent in the primary.
* Bob Valihura beat Protack in a 5-way primary for State Representative in 1998.
* Debbie Hudson is the current State Representative in Mike’s district.
* Terry Strine and Priscilla Rakestraw are the leadership of the GOP.
* Bill Lee was Protack’s 2004 primary opponent and the voice of the 2006 radio ads against him.
* Jan Ting was Protack’s 2006 primary opponent.
It also had become clear to me that the commenter was either sending the postcards or had knowledge of who was doing it. So I did some research to find out who “GOP Vision” was.
A REVELATION
On FSP, “GOP Vision” has posted 16 comments, most of the time from the same IP address. So I plugged in that IP address into my comment search, and I came up with 219 comments, 16 from “GOP Vision” and 213 from………Mike Protack himself. I have also received no fewer than 10 emails from Mike that originated from that IP address in the last three months.
Two possibilities emerge: a) either Mike Protack IS “GOP Vision/Observer” or b) “GOP Vision” has regular access to a computer that Mike regularly comments from. I was very disturbed by both possibilities and recalled an exchange I had with Protack back in December.
On December 11, 2006, Mike Protack sent me an e-mail complaining of a meeting held on the 5th and attaching a letter “Survival of the GOP 2,” that he proposed to send to Republican delegates. The letter [posted here] included the usual Protack rant about several individuals in leadership positions and was tagged by Microsoft Word as being authored by “Protack.” An earlier letter, “Survival of the GOP”, had recently arrived in mailboxes and can be seen on this Down With Absolutes post.
Here is the interesting part – after I suggested that the letter was inappropriate he responded:
“Dave,
That was the wrong document, the one that is correct is attached. By hook and crook I found out the person who sent out the first anonymous letter and they sent me their second letter which I convinced this person not to send.
My apologies to you. I almost had a stroke when I saw the wrong one.
Here is the correct one.
By the way, the author of the first letter does live in Sussex.
Mike”
In other words, Mike Protack had admitted in December to knowing who was sending out the anonymous messages.
Also, in the letter I received by email from Protack titled “Survival of the GOP 2,” you see the following: “Ed Colaprete/Colonial- stop dyeing your hair and work to build the fastest growing part of the state.”
In the pink postcard that hit 8/4: “…I hear Ed Colaprete should stop dyeing his hair And get his region together…”
MORE INTERESTING FACTS AND CONNECTIONS
As many of you may know, other facts may link Protack to the postcards. I am advised that Protack was the first person, and at the time of the May 5 white postcard which attacked Charlie Copeland, the only person outside GOP HQ to receive the delegate list used to send the postcards. Vance Phillips was the second to receive it, on May 8, three days after the white postcard hit.
You should know that this charge was leveled at Mr. Protack before, and he has denied it, saying that he had given out the list to others. I asked Mike to provide me with a list of the people to whom he gave the addresses.
He has not provided that information:
“June 18 — Dave, Good morning from Boston.
I have asked two people who are helping me. I asked about any farming out of the partial list I had. They were unaware of the cards because they are not delegates any more. One was rather perturbed I would accuse her but said no and the other said flat out no. Neither was real excited about talking to any GOP official at any level.”
After asking several times before and after Mike spoke to our county meeting, he declined to share the names of the people to whom he gave the list.
THE KINKO’S CONNECTION
Finally, Randy Smith, aka RSmitty, discovered that the “Observer,” who another blogger had identified as one and the same as “GOP Vision,” had posted from an IP address owned by Kinko’s.
A pink postcard hit mailboxes before the end of the next week.
A REVIEW
Folks, let me review the evidence:
1. “GOP Vision” parrots, almost exactly, what is seen in the pink postcards.
2. “GOP Vision” posts comments from a computer regularly used by Mike Protack.
3. Another blogger identified “GOP Vision” and “Observer” as the same person.
4. “Observer” sent posts from inside a Kinko’s a few days before two postcards hit.
5. Mike Protack admitted in December to knowing who sent the original “Survival of the GOP” letter.
6. The second letter, “Survival of the GOP 2,” was tagged by Word as being written on Protack’s computer.
7. The postcards only attack people who are foes to Protack or stand between him and elected office.
I am neither a judge nor jury and have only passed along facts which can be easily confirmed. If Mr. Protack cares to demonstrate, with evidence, that, notwithstanding these facts, he is not the author of the vile and repugnant material (not repeated in this memorandum), he should do so. If, indeed, he did write or send the postcards, he should apologize to the entire Party and withdraw forever from Republican affairs. We are an open, warm and civil Party and the people who have received these have no stomach for the filth found in the postcards.
POSTSCRIPT
1. Before anyone flies off the handle saying this is some party vendetta against Protack, remember that I endorsed Protack over Ting last fall and that I invited Protack to speak to the Sussex GOP in May.
2. I owe a big shout-out to many people for their help in building this post. You know who you are. Thanks.
UPDATE 8/4:
The following comments were left today from the Kinko’s IP address used by “Observer”.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
This time, the culprit refers to himself as “GOP Shock” and “Priscilla.” You can read for yourself the comments, but I want to point out one thing. In this comment on Delaware Liberal, GOP Shock says:
“Reschedule that meeting, I will be there to ask Levin some tough questions. That is why the meeting was cancelled.”
This is the transcript of a 7/31 email to 14th District Republican Chair Mary Spicer from Mike Protack:
“Sent: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 9:43 am
Subject: Re: meeting
Sorry but I have been through this sort of subterfuge before with Jan Ting. I will be there.
Ask Alan is he will bring copies of the checks he wrote to Joe Biden.”
A TELLING FINAL QUOTE
Remember that Protack lost in a primary to Bob Valihura in 1998. On 3/7/2000, Mike Protack sent an email to Rep. Valihura informing the Representative that Protack would be challenging him again in the 2000 election. In the email you will find the following threat from Protack:
“Feel free to call me if you want to but know one thing – either I will win or you will be unelectable this fall after our our race. I am at ease with either scenario.”
Dave Burris just drank your milkshake! He drank it up!
I’d subpoena Kinko’s to find out the exact location, and send in some mug shots.
You guys are nuts. Your point is? This helps us how? Protack wrote nasty stuff and would rather not sign his name to it? Oh my God. I can hardly believe this happens in politics.
I just glanced through your investigative report and half of what I read was true. Is there a problem with king of decline? Or Levin is a rich guy who hassled about Medicaid and wanted to buy a shot a Governor. What am I supposed to be all offended?
I dare you to go line by line and put an F next to the false statements and a T next to the true. Man, you need some serious vacation time. Let me know if you find anything in Mike’s underpants.
This is an interesting change in strategy from the sock puppets. For months, it was deny, deny, deny. Now, we get “Who cares? Everybody does it, and we all agree.”
There were comments on the blogs and postcards that can be tied to Mike Protack that should turn the stomach of every Republican - of every human being! - but it’s just the business of politics to you, sock-puppet. The simple truth is that Mike Protack has reached a stage in his political “career” where he can no longer elevate himself, so he tears down everyone else. He did it with postcards months ago, he continues to do it on blogs, and now he’s taken to identity theft to disrupt the will of the voters.
Old news, which was rebutted and I say discredited months ago. Go back to Firststate and read the comments. They need not be rehashed.
Denied, not discredited. It’s a huge difference, especially when so many of the allegations went unchecked.
David, explain the following paragraph:
On December 11, 2006, Mike Protack sent me an e-mail complaining of a meeting held on the 5th and attaching a letter “Survival of the GOP 2,” that he proposed to send to Republican delegates. The letter [posted here] included the usual Protack rant about several individuals in leadership positions and was tagged by Microsoft Word as being authored by “Protack.” An earlier letter, “Survival of the GOP”, had recently arrived in mailboxes and can be seen on this Down With Absolutes post.
It can’t be done without straining the boundaries of credulity beyond compare. Mike’s claim that someone else had sent him this abysmal document to peruse loses all its credibility when the name of the alleged author won’t be shared. If Mike wanted to get the stink of these events off of him, he would give up the anonymous person. He won’t, which makes the dozens of times he demanded to know my identity and the dozens more that he decried all anonymous posters on the internet seem very hollow.
It would seem that some would extend the benefit of doubt to Mr. Protack all the way to the governors chair. But to me the benefit of doubt is wearing extremely thin. The things that seem to be attributable to Mr. Protack are beyond reprehensible. And if proven beyond doubt they would give me serious pause and a clear reason not to vote for him.
That being said , I as a conservative find enough things in his platform to drive me away from voting for him, such as his push towards universal health care, and his oh to close relationship with organized labor.
It would be grand if we could focas on issues to make our decision, but we must not lose sight of the character of our candidates either. Anyone who would play these sort of childish third grade name calling games and also say the hateful racist things that have been said , has no place in my party or in running my state. So I am calling for anyone who has clear and provable evidence to come forward and disclose it to the public.
And just as an aside , I do feel that anonymous post tend to be more hate than fact filled. If what you are saying is just an opinion that you truly beleive , than what do you fear ? If it is an accusation that is based in fact , than what do you fear. Coming to a blog under a made up name and expecting to be taken seriously , is like walking in to a bank wearing a mask and expecting everyone to beleive you are just there to make a deposit. Have the courage of your convictions, and stand sqarely behind what you say. I know that much of what I post is not popular and have received much ridicule , mostly from people posting under assumed names, but I beleive what I say and say what I beleive.
Well said, Frank. It strikes me odd that as voters, we are told that Mike is a man of the highest character, and given the example of him stepping aside in 2002 is his race against Ray Clatworthy as the example. There are two reasons that doesn’t seem like enough.
1) It happened six years ago, and there has been such boorish behavior since then (even if you set aside just the stuff he’s only suspected of) that the act has been eclipsed.
2) He wasn’t likely to win at convention, and so all his ‘amazingly selfless act’ did was spare us the headaches of the last two election cycles.
Mike’s union affiliation is a condition (requirement) for employment. That job requires union membership.
His union affiliation should be considered an asset when neutralizing the influence the Democratic Party has EXPLOITED union membership (especially here in New Castle County). FYI - The Democratic Party buses in union members to assist with the polls. If Mike’s affiliation with the union helps neutralize this powerful liberal group, then this will help not only Mike, but other candidates as well.
I do have one comment on the re-posting of this topic again. You forget to acknowledge that Mike knew Charlie was out of the race one week before the first card hit the street, Vance Philips told Mike Castle when Mike Protack, at 7 am, was working at the polls for Greg Hastings. Mike was probably the only guy from New Castle County there working for a Sussex County Candidate.
The other “facts” and “findings” are as groundless as UFO sightings. Ever wonder why no one in the press ever talks about your “findings”? Only Ron Williams, that says it all - and he is wrong on just about everything.
You acknowledge one “error” - which has been verified only by Mike, and may just mean he didn’t feel like throwing out postcards that he’s already printed - and discredit the remainder of the evidence?
Jason, I respect your right to choose a candidate. It’s getting harder and harder, but I do.
Also, Jason, the unions have already made a choice this season. John Carney is being supported overwhelmingly. Mere membership in a union isn’t going to change that.
And, during the 2004 race, Bill Lee was the Republican who received union endorsements and support. He did so not because he was a union member as a state employee (which he was, in good standing), but because he had a firm grasp of the issues and was an electable candidate.
[…] Perhaps by coincidence, out of nowhere came this. […]
“You forget to acknowledge that Mike knew Charlie was out of the race one week before the first card hit the street, Vance Philips told Mike Castle when Mike Protack, at 7 am, was working at the polls for Greg Hastings.”
And you fail to address the fact that Mike had the list when no one did, gave the list out, admitted giving the list out, then denied ever having the list.
Come on, guys. Arguing only makes it worse.
“Mike was probably the only guy from New Castle County there working for a Sussex County Candidate.”
No, there were dozens. And not all of them spent half the day on John Atkins’ porch, as Mike did.
Rick, can you get over the sock puppets stuff. Pretty soon we are going to have to think of names for Lee supporters. Sock Puppets against Elder Barfly? Make your point respectfully or else we start that junk on Judge Lee.
Many many Republicans would agree with Mike’s assessment about what sad shape the Party is in. Who do you hold accountable if not the “party leadership” which you call out as Priscilla R. and Terry S.
Why direct all your outrage and disrespect at Protack. Why not go to the root of the problem. Have you ever uttered a disrespectful word about the corrupt influence and credibility gap our Party has suffered at the hands of our “leaders”. How about just a few small rants about what has happened under this leadership. Yea. Mike got mad as hell and he’s not taking it anymore. Even the Protack problem is something competent leadership should have been able to resolve. Priscilla is the opposite of a peacemaker. Terry has presided over one debacle after another. Where is the outrage? All directed at Protack? We deserve what we get at the polls.
As an outsider, an observer of the political scene in an attempt to be an informed voter (I am registered Republican), I just have one question.
Who the hell cares about this shit? I mean, who really the hell cares?
It’s all just so damn silly.
As someone involved in the biker rights movement, I see a similarity. It has been said that getting a group of bikers to agree on anything is like herding cats. Egoes, personal agendas, and glory-mongering get in the way every time.
Nuff said.
Dave - I changed the priority of your update to the top of the post. People need to see it and I believe it was missed. That is seriously brazen for someone to send emails posed as yourself, especially with that content (any content, really). All this banter about lawsuits abound, yet this (ask an attorney pal, if you have one) may be the most egregious thing yet. This is seriously foul!
That is seriously brazen for someone to send emails posed as yourself
Brazen, if true. Right now it’s just another assertion on a blog. Is there a copy of the email headers around so we can verify the extent of this “forgery?”
Here you go, noman.
Imagine my surprise when it was sent to me for confirmation, or when the News Journal called me to find out how Charlie Copeland’s run for LG would affect my walkout.
Well, it’s obviously not from you just based on the content.
The geek term for this is “spoof,” not “forgery.” You have been joe-jobbed:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_job
To do real forensic work, you need a copy of the detailed email headers. A recipient of the email would have to open the email with headers showing and send them to you. See:
email.about.com/cs/spamgeneral/a/spam_headers.htm
“Well, it’s obviously not from you just based on the content.”
The media thought it was from me.
From wikipedia:
“Online, a joe job is a spam attack using spoofed sender data and aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the apparent sender and/or induce the recipients to take action against him”
Should I be less angry, noman?
I’ve seen the headers. There is an investigation going on to determine who sent them. But that’s not relevant here.
“The media thought it was from me.”
A damning indictment of the media if I ever heard one.
“A damning indictment of the media if I ever heard one.”
Not the mainstream media. They don’t know what goes on down at the blog level.
Celia Cohen knew instantly, and I imagine people like Rick and Al knew, too, if they got the email. But the news media didn’t give it a second thought.
Crap, noman, you’re making yourself a freaking apologist. Not everyone in this world is tech-saavy, as you appear to think is the case. If you are just jabbing sarcasm, then you have my apology for this, but I don’t see it, if that is your intent.
All it takes is one person, ONE PERSON, to not know how to look at the behind-the-scenes email info and just look at the header in front of them, and boom, Dave has just been officially impersonated with misleading information.
You, me, and other people certainly have the experience and knowledge to know not to believe it, but that’s us. There are plenty enough people that are otherwise.
“The media thought it was from me.”
A damning indictment of the media if I ever heard one.
Something tells me you run into damning indictments of the media all the time, and I guarantee you the others are more damning. If I get an email like that (I didn’t get this one), I’d be on the phone asking Dave the same thing.
BTW, if your response to that email would be different — if, for example, you’d toss it into the wastebasket WITHOUT checking to see whether it’s real or fake — don’t bother asking for a job in the media, mainstream or otherwise.
Don: I’m rapidly realizing that you might be dimmer than anyone else who comments here. This is priceless:
“Rick, can you get over the sock puppets stuff. Pretty soon we are going to have to think of names for Lee supporters. Sock Puppets against Elder Barfly? Make your point respectfully or else we start that junk on Judge Lee.”
I’ll spell this out for you, since you can’t seem to connect dots yourself — someone who signs a fake name and claims to support Protack is considered a sock puppet until proved otherwise. Why? If you don’t understand the whole original post, get someone to explain it for you.
It’s been clear for months that, because he’s unable to find anybody but his ailing mother to donate $100 or more, Protack or his supporters has been attempting to create the appearance of grassroots support. The constant parade in comments threads of fake names — or what look like real names but with links to unrelated or extinct web sites — that show up once and never again violate every normal trait of Delaware blogosphere posters.
This isn’t about insulting Protack’s supporters by calling them sock puppers. David Anderson isn’t a sock puppet, Jason O’Neill isn’t a sock puppet.
But hit the link for “GOP Visine” and what do you get? An extinct web site, of course. That, whether you like it or not, is a sock puppet. Funny how many of them like Mike — and they didn’t even have to be hypnotized, as you suggested.
I actually have one member of the media who will no longer communicate with me by email as a result of this stunt.
How so? Do they think it was actually you, or to prevent similar forgeries in the future? If it’s the former, then damage has been done.
No. They feel like they can’t be sure now unless they talk to me personally.
Al, I liked you were better when you were writing about spaghetti recipes. You’re better suited for that than critiquing candidates for Governor. You would be surprised how many civic minded folks are not familiar with the true meaning of “sockpuppet”. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me. In case you forgot:
Mike Protack is a former Marine who worked his way up to commercial airline Captain. His is an extremely skilled individual. Physically and mentally. Extremely disciplined and hard working. His record is perfect. Mike has performed very very well in face to face contests with both Lt. Governor Carney and State Treasurer Markell. The people who mock Protack most are Republican insiders. Not the public who watch him perform. The public, not in the know, are by and large impressed. He successfully filled the Republican void on the stump, while the party “leaders” were scurrying around looking for a “real candidate”. Somebody the leadership “liked”. . First it was somebody with money. Happy Harry. Levin didn’t like what he saw. I can’t blame him. Then our “leaders” thought, well who else has money? Somebody really classy. How about Michele Rollins? All the while Mike is out there working his ass off doing a good job as de factor GOP candidate. Ah, then at last somebody else with money comes along. Charles Copeland. Don’t get no better than that. A DuPont. All kinds of connections to all kinds of money. How exciting. Still Protack is out there comparing his health plan with Carney and Markell. Comparing his education answers. His environmental views against Markell and Carney. Mike Protack, Republican candidate for Governor, out there all alone, in the arena, doing a very credible job as our candidate for Governor. Now, we sweep all that work aside because some “leaders” somewhere have cooked up some ticket put together by a committee. We dump the hardworking courageous man with the nice resume, the man who stepped up stepped out and did good for us, in favor of some insider committee concocted candidate? And of course these same folks speak not of issues, or effort, or courage, they speak instead of sockpuppets and Kinko’s.
Al, you think Mike is a loser and call me a dimwitted moron. Nice.
While you were gossiping about Hanna Montana today on the radio, Mike was probably switching off the autopilot, vectoring in for a landing at 300 miles an hour in some far off place. Or maybe he stopped by Kinko’s to express his outrage over the indignities he has suffered.
Either way, he is way way ahead of you Al.
Hey RickJ, I am just learning what a sockpuppet is. I don’t think I am one. This my second post using this name ( a take off on the GOP Vision) you guys are ga ga about. As a far as I know there is nothing nefarious or wrong about what I am doing. Is there?
“The public, not in the know, are by and large impressed.”
As soon as they get “in the know,” their opinions will most certainly change for the worse. And Protack will be broke and helpless to combat it.
Why would we want to send a candidate with Protack’s shortcomings unarmed into the biggest battle on the ballot?
GOP Visine… the IP address of the source (in other words, your internet connection) is saved on all of these blogs (here, DelawareLiberal, etc). It’s a built-in feature. If you wish, identify yourself, I’ll leave that up to you. You did nothing to cover up, so no, I wouldn’t call you so much a sockpuppet as I would something else. You’re not very anonymous in that sense. In the meantime, don’t be such a cocky jackass, trying to draw out a fight, like a salve on a boil.
Now, if you’re trying to admit that you are behind all the other sockpuppetry, that’s another thing, but I don’t think you want to be that person.
Hats off to R. Smitty for a great editing job, which completely refocuses the direction of the post. It was so good I almost want to modify my post tagged into the comments.
The comments change after #16. That…. is a sign of good editing.
The sockpuppet chase reminds me of the hunt for WMDs in Iraq.
“Well, we didn’t find any proof, but… but… he is a bad person anyway.”
Just a reminder; all of the sockpuppet evidence so far takes you 80% of the way to hard proof. The remaining 20% is an exercise left for the reader. And if you do prove one sockpuppet case 100%, that doesn’t necessarily prove the others.
Hey Don, I like you better when you try to talk sense into your fellow Republicans. But you’re so far off base on Mike Protack you’re not even in the ballpark.
If flying jets were a qualification for governor, Mike would top the list. If he were otherwise qualified, somebody — maybe even you — would step up and give the guy $100, no? Until then, I’ll stack up my ability to judge candidates vs. yours any time, any place.
GOP Visine: Why is there a link at your name that leads nowhere?
Noman: No common sense is more like it. I don’t know a thing about the technical aspects and don’t much care; previous experience with ballot-box stuffers, astroturfers and phony online (and letter to the editor) “support” for people who don’t have any has given me a pretty good sense of when sock puppets have escaped the sock drawer.
Al, confession: GOP Visine, it’s me, Don. I used GOP Visine as a take off of the infamous GOP Vision everybody is yakking about. I do not mess with links here I just put in a name and go. So not sure what you mean about link to nowhere. Best wishes, Don.
I don’t know a thing about the technical aspects and don’t much care
How did the Bush administration miss appointing you to some important job?
Don/Visine -
You have just defined sock puppet. Anyone looking for proof that Protack’s supporters are engaging in this just got it.
David Anderson and Jaso O’Neill - I respect your right to make your own choice. I disagree with the choice you made. This is what your guy inspires.
I dispute that you could not know what a ’sock puppet’ is - you’re commenting on a post that explains it, and lays out why it’s deceptive to readers and fraudulent to potential voters. Feign ignorance if you want, but you are fooling no one.
…not to mention how benign he believes those comments from the sockpuppets were in the past. Apparent lack of research or zero understanding of the content.
Nothing to see here…libel doesn’t count on the inter-tubes…just vacuum tubes sucking common sense out of your skull…please move on….
Noman: I’m a Democrat. Unfortunately, they don’t like me, either, so my unqualified carcass remains in the private sector.
Now that I know what a sock puppet is, I will refrain from using more than one name without a disclaimer. I used GOP Visine two or three times, but everything else anonymous has been a Don.
Except, of course, this time.
This attempt to portray a false show of support with multiple identities is heinous, because it creates the appearance of a paper majority. The entire point of the post we’re currently commenting on was that. For you to claim ignorance strains credulity. It also makes us look for the contradictions in everything you’ve posted.
Posts by Don have been almost concilitory, with a ‘Can’t we all just get along’ vibe. By and large, no mention of opponents, more stressing the appearance of Protack as his sale-able feature.
The very first Visine post was aggressive in tone. The first sentence was ‘You guys are nuts,’ and proceeded to defend the use of anonymous slurs.
In short, you created two separate identities, and you had them work the issue from two different angles. You created the appearance of broader support by doing this. You did so deliberately.
R Smitty called you out on this before your mea culpa, so your plea of ignorance doesn’t fly. I would suggest that your IP be checked to confirm that these were the only identities you’ve foisted upon us.
Don’s use of multiple identities was an excellent use of self-aware irony. It was clear that Don was using multiple clever and pointed monikers to reinforce the point of the comment. This was not an attempt to create the appearance of multiple commenters working an issue. It was clearly all from the same person. For you to claim ignorance strains credulity.
noman,
Are you suggesting that upon reading the first post by Visine, you remarked ‘That Don is a clever one…’?
After being called out by a moderator, ‘Don’ fessed up. Until that point, the sock puppets were creating an echo chamber.
RickJ…keep in mind noman as well as Don see no issue with that email being sent out to appear as Dave was the author and sender.
Are you suggesting that upon reading the first post by Visine
Are you suggesting you took the name “Visine” seriously?
Joke’s on you.
RSmitty, I do see forging Dave’s name as a serious breach. Stuff like that gives dirty politics a bad name. I just need proof about who sent it before we bring out the hangman’s noose. If we had a group of really attractive Republican candidates running for Governor I would have more options. We are talking about playing the hand we are dealt here: a choice between an older reluctant guy who divided the Party and lost every time he ran for something, and a young ambitious guy who divided the Party and lost every time he ran for something. I am leaning towards the younger ambitious.
RickJ, if you can think of an appropriate punishment for me for using GOP Visine, I will consider it. In the meantime, loosen up, it’s only a game.
I like Don’s shifting monikers. I’m not fooled.
I can see though that when Don began presenting Protack’s side of the story, people became hyper-alert for sockpuppetry. Heck maybe it’s all Don anyway. He’s a good writer and can probably write in multiple voices.
It’s all free text anyway, it’s whatever you enter. There is nothing stopping somebody else from using the name “noman” or “don.” That is what permits sockpuppets in the first place. But if I had to log in, I probably wouldn’t post here.
I’m suggesting that there have been a number of false names put into circulation, and that anonymity doesn’t necessarily mean sock-puppetry.
noman — you have to log in from now on.
I kid.
Appreciated
Given the lack of login requirements on most Delaware blogs, the wonder is that there isn’t more sockpuppetry and evil being practices.
GOP Visine gets the red out?
(Clumsy red state joke there, I know, but it’s Friday.)