You may have seen the diary that Kos did earlier today,
VA-Sen: Allen's "mute" strategy. Having George Allen shut his mouth and also limiting questions from reporters, however, aren't the only ways that the Allen campaign is trying to control the message. Here's another, according to an item yesterday in the "Hotline on Call" of the "National Journal":
The Allen campaign is looking for letters to the editor that the campaign will "package" and deliver to Virginia newspapers. More below.
The Allen Plan
Here's part of a message that the Allen campaign has sent out to supporters, according to the "Hotline on Call" item:
The George Allen for U.S. Senate Campaign is in desperate need of "Letters to the Editor" to combat the aggressive grassroots campaign of his opponent in the closing days of this election. I have agreed to turn over 50 unsigned letters to the editor that can be used by the campaign to strategically place in various local, regional and statewide papers in the next 5 days. The campaign will find people to sign your letter. You just have to write it.
Our Counter-Plan, First Stage
(Hat tip to donnas for some of these suggestions.)
1) Contact reporters and editors whom you know personally and/or know about. This can be local reporters, the national networks, Olbermann, Colbert, etc., etc. Let them know how Allen is trying to dupe newspaper editors and newspaper readers. With your message, send along the link for the "Hotline on Call" item (here).
2) Do letters to the editor now to Virginia newspapers describing what the "Hotline on Call" item has reported.
3) On newspaper stories on Allen and Webb that have a "comment" function (similar to a blog), leave your comments on this Allen maneuver. Give a link to the "Hotline on Call" item.
Our Counter-Plan, Second Stage
If the public attention and ridicule resulting from the first stage don't do the trick, here's the back-up plan, to use with individual newspapers and letters to the editor (LTEs):
1) Using Google News Advanced Search, do a daily search of Virginia newspapers for any items (including LTEs) mentioning "George Allen." (You can even set up an automatic Google News alert for that. At the bottom of the page of search results, click on the link that says: "New! Get the latest news on . . .")
2) Save the pro-Allen LTEs, then watch for additional ones in later days, and compare them.
3) When you find the boiler-plate letters, check to see what "different" persons put their names on the same letter.
4) Send an original LTE (we Dems/progressives CAN write our own) to each of the newspapers that were duped by the Allen supporters.
5) Continue as long as needed.
If we start this effort now, the newspaper editors will likely join in, to avoid being "used" by the Allen campaign.
And, this effort by Allen is just one more indication of how he's trying to hide his true character from Virginia voters. Don't let him get away with it.