BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain

Subject: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Alice
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 04:06 PM

This report needs MORE MEDIA ATTENTION. Please pass this info on to your friends. It's an admission by Dutch newspaper columnist Margriet Oostveen.

When you click on this link, click again in upper right of page to go to the article.
- Alice

++++++++

Editor's note: The following article was originally published on Sept. 13 in Dutch in the newspaper NRC Handelsblad, where Margriet Oostveen writes a weekly column called "Message From Washington." Oostveen has volunteered in various political campaigns and then written about the experience. She has worked for both John McCain and Barack Obama in this election cycle. Click here to see guidelines, talking points and sample letters the McCain campaign gave her.

I ghost-wrote letters to the editor for the McCain campaign
Margriet Oostveen.
Sept. 24, 2008 | "You can be whoever you want to be," says an inviting Phil Tuchman. "You can be a beggar or a millionaire. A mom or a husband. Whatever. You decide!"

I volunteer in political campaigns now and then. After a series of outings for Obama and a first mission as a phone banker for John McCain, I returned to McCain's headquarters in Arlington, Va. The offer was too alluring to delay -- they wanted to put me into action as a ghostwriter. Next to commercials and phone banking, writing letters to the editor is the most important method of the McCain campaign to attract voters. At least that is what's written in the guidelines that McCain campaign worker Phil Tuchman presents to me.

Today he is training six ghostwriters.
click here to read the rest of the article http://www.salon.com/news/feature/20

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Alice
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 04:19 PM

I just emailed the above article and link to my local newspaper. I hope more people do the same.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 04:26 PM

You say that as is if its a bad thing?

Its called lie cheat and steal.   Its the American way.

Transparency, Integrity and Service , now these are just the code words we hear on TV.


The lengths one has to go to when you are only 1% of the population are infinite.
You have to influence a religious base and others to get at least 50%. Its hard work but profitable.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: GUEST,John Caspar McWraith
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 06:26 AM

John McCain's [ghost written] speech at the debate. (It may be ghost-debated as well, because he won't be there….)

To the People of America

I have decided to stop my campaign in order to hocus-focus on saving the US economy. I'm pledging to serve with my heart and soul if elected, and will ensure that America has a vision for the future and will achieve many positive ghouls.. If elected President, I will fund the following programs in order to boost the economy and make life better for American families.

To support working mothers, I will create more dayscare centres for children. I will uphold the War on Terror, with a strong commitment to terrifying ghouls and laying wraiths at funerals.. For those who worry about the right to bear arms, I say, it's okay, so long as you have a haunting license.

When you ask me if I will give up my ghoul to be President, I say "Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid."


No, I never wanted to be Vice President. I spent several years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States?

While Wall St is currently a monetary roller-ghoster, my financial policies will help it make a spooktacular recovery! My VP will continue to hunt mooses with her bare hands, and I will teach her how to make moose ghoulash.

As a ghost-politican, I will never be able to fool you, because you can see right through me.. I'm older than dirt, I've got more scars than Frankenstein, but I've learned a few things along the way. I will introduce discipline amongst our security forces, with a policy of don't spook until you're spooken to !

Some people think I selected Scarah Palin as my Vice President because I'd rather have CPR from her than Mitt Romney. But she's okay, she's my buddy, just as demons are a ghost's best friend. But as a ghost President, you will never have to worry about her replacing me, because I'm not really here anyway..

While my policies may be transparent, and I may make a few boo boos here or there, I will always be an apparition of respectability.
In closing, I'd like to bring to your attention the gallantry and patriotism of the many American battlers who serve with distinction in unemployment queues. I promise not just to honour your battle to survive and support your families, but I will ensure that your service pensions will be enough to fund the counseling for the Ghost Traumatic Stress Disorder you will experience under my administration..

Your humble servant

John McWraith

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Amos
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 10:28 AM

What a buncha sheet!


A

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: freda underhill
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 10:30 AM

this is the politics of fear..

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 10:38 AM

Who Ya Gunna Call?

Ghost Writers!


Nah - it'd flop at the Box Office...

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: freda underhill
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 10:54 AM

It's a concern that a man of the calibre of John McCain not only believes in ghosts but engages one as his letter writer (automatic writing?). Meanwhile, Scary Palin is undergoing an excorcism to engage in a pre-emptive strike against witches. There are more things in heaven and earth, Obama, than are dreamt of in your media office..

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 10:56 AM

Could the leak of his speech be the reason he canceled?
I am begining to see the light Alice.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Alice
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 10:58 AM

Scary Palin - thanks for that, freda.

Another sad thing about her witch hunting African helper... he has caused death and injury in Africa to women he has labeled as witches. Actual, not symbolic 'witch' hunts.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 11:07 AM

I just sent it on to the local paper, Alice. Thanks for posting it. I have written simple, non-specific, sample letters for members of a human rights group to study for structure, etc. BUT they all used their own words after reading the samples. I wrote them for a talk I gave about PR.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: freda underhill
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 11:09 AM

Alice, what with Nancy Reagan's astrologer and Scary Palin's voodoobuster, these Republicans demonstrate a very lateral approach to their Christianity. If Scary gets to be VP, maybe she'll arrange for some astroshamaniac to give John McCain a little energy blast to boost his campaign. whatever it takes & all that..

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 11:36 AM

"Scary Palin." Excellent! Thanks,Freda.

I agree on the witch hunter stuff, too, Alice. It's not only sad, it is scary.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Alice
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 11:52 AM

... and she lied and said she had a son in Iraq, to great approval of the ghost-writing trainer. The Republicans have no conscience.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 11:57 AM

"I am begining to see the light Alice"

There's a light - over at the Frankenstein place...

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Alice
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 12:41 PM

and some pitchforks and pikes, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 01:06 PM

Just Plain, Scary!

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 07:40 PM

When the whole system is that corrupt - well in France, people got tired of paying tax on salt... chop!

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Riginslinger
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 07:43 PM

"Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain"

                   Was his name Jacob Marley?

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Alice
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 07:55 PM

read the first message, riginsnidely

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 08:11 PM

"There's a light - over at the Frankenstein place."

Actually, Alice, if you know the plot of "Rocky Horror", from which that song comes, you will realise it as far more scary than just a bunch of ignorant villagers with pitchforks and torches...

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Alice
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 08:22 PM

ah, yes... rocky horror, my son's favorite film event each Halloween on the university campus. He does a perfect Riff Raff.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Riginslinger
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 09:24 PM

I'll bet he looks just like Barack Obama!

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 09:26 PM

Rig - that is an uncalled for Racist attack.

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Ron Davies
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 09:35 PM

But consider the source.

The CEO of Smears R Us tries hard to keep his shelves stocked.





By the way, great work by Mr. McWraith. Do they grow wordsmiths in San Diego?

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 11:29 PM

Reminds me of that great old hymn..

When The Polls Are Arsed Up Yonder, I'll be there...

Subject: RE: BS: Ghost wrote letters to editor for McCain
From: Riginslinger
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 07:29 PM

"But consider the source."


             A wealth of brilliance and deep punditry!