Democratic trackers gone wild?

by ~ The Rebel ~ Posted 2012/07/10 20:23:00

Related Topics: GOP, Democrat, POLITICO, Democrats, Video, Internet, Candidates, Candidate, Campaign, Stalking, Tracking, Politician, Record, Testing

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Politicians recognize they give up a degree of privacy when they run for office.

But Democrats are testing the outer limits of that understanding with a practice that raises questions about when campaign tracking becomes something more like stalking.

While most serious campaigns on both sides use campaign trackers — staffers whose job is to record on video every public appearance and statement by an opponent — House Democrats are taking it to another level. They’re now recording video of the homes of GOP congressmen and candidates and posting the raw footage on the Internet for all to see.

ProudProgressive 2012/07/10 21:05:17

If this is true I think it steps over the line of appropriate conduct. A candidate himself (or herself) is fair game any time they are out in public, but the privacy of a candidate's home and his family when they are at home ought to be respected. Technically it's not illegal, since a public street is a public street and anyone can stand there if they choose to, but I don't see how this can serve any purpose.

Of course, given that this story is from Politico, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to learn that the Republicans have already been doing this and the Democrats are simply fighting back, but that still wouldn't justify the conduct. I'd expect it of the Republicans, but Democrats have an annoying habit of playing by the rules most of the time.

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wolf sloan 2012/07/10 20:36:06

+1
Just a bit over the line, I'd think.Sounds more like petty harassment to me. At least they aren't leaving burning bags of doggy doo doo on their doorstep. Well not yet anyway.

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~ The Rebel ~ 2012/07/10 20:24:45

+1
Wisconsin GOP Rep. Reid Ribble, who said he’s also been followed by a cameraman when shopping for groceries, said the home videos cross a line.

“I feel it’s totally inappropriate,” said Ribble, a freshman facing a competitive race for reelection. “It was disturbing to me that they would put that online. I don’t understand any political benefit that can be achieved with that.”

http://www.politico.com/news/...

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