look before you leap, samm
In 2006, Samm Simpson challenged incumbent Bill Young for his congressional seat that he’s held for 18 terms. Samm, rallying around the anti-war and anti-Bush sentiment, was the first federal candidate in Pinellas history to make the ballot by petition. Yet as her campaign wore on, Simpson couldn’t raise money, couldn’t gain national interest from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and separate herself from fringe activists or make a legitimate case against Bill Young’s further involvement in the US Congress.
Ms. Simpson lost in a landslide on November 7th while Democrats nationally swept to victory. While she lost, her campaign survives — sending out emails from time to time to supporters and others about concerns or talking points or news bulletins.
Yet Samm, a former executive with Raymond James Financial, didn’t bother to check the truth behind an email before forwarding it out this afternoon. Local media and activists as well as elected officials such as Rep. Young and Senator Bill Nelson were told of an urgent crisis and looming abuse of power of the Bush administration…
Samm remarked “I’ve been concerned about this for a long time. Spread this around. We can’t let this happen” before the headline of the message…
Cheney: Bush Administration May Challenge 22nd Amendment in 2008 Election.
By PHILIP MCKRACK
Published: April 1, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina. April 1 — Vice President Cheney delivered a speech early Sunday morning before a formation of soldiers at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The speech was not publicized and the prepared remarks were intended to boost troop morale. The comments were fairly unremarkable except for one short comment near the end of the speech in which Mr. Cheney suggested that the Bush Administration may seek to challenge the 22nd amendment in the 2008 presidential election in an effort to ensure that the war in Iraq is successful.
Forget the politics. Forget your gut reaction to the headline. Read the byline — Phillip McKrack. Read the date of the publication — April 1st, 2007. Hell, check Google and you’ll see two constants in the results — joke sites (some with parody URL’s of major media sites) and suckers who bought the bull.
Looming crisis indeed.
The greatest assassination of a political candidate is the candidate themselves jumping to conclusions as such. If Simpson commits gaffe’s like this as a prospective candidate - how would she perform in federal office?
Tags: citizens, politics
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April 6th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
I received the same from 3 different people. By the time you issue a retraction…the damage is done.
Indeed, it is wise to check the references *before* forwarding stuff like this.
April 7th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
My question:
How did those “fringe activists” you mentioned in the first part get to be … “LOCAL activists” when it came to the email sent out?
LOL !!!
And, anyone who is NOT worried about the chimp seeking to declare martial law through his “flu yahoo pandemic” … or at the VERY LEAST seizing more power in any corrupt fashion gd amendments be damned (his words, not mine) … well they must be on the side he mentioned when he said we were either wid him or agin him.
She has every right to be concerned.
Right concern.
Wrong email.
Thanks for the smiles on the activist trashing …. you know Jesus Christ was an activist .. just sayin …..
people WISH it was a fringe movement.
And, besides, all movements start that way. Only Bush and Hitler and Mussolini and a few other absolute monsters have had a well-oiled machine at their disposal.
Thank you for your time.
April 8th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Urban Democrats are the only candidates for office who could possibly be stupider than Republicans, though in Simpson’s case, I’m sure an intern or something is to blame.
April 8th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Well, vox, you just proved what “Fringe activists” is in your response — pressing things as the worst-case-scenerio, unorganized in your polarized beliefs, and critical of the people who criticize what you believe in (be it a camdidate. a campaign, a movement or anything else.
You even present my take on Samm’s reaction to a fake article as if I’m stating my criticisms as a right-winger. (”Jesus was an activist”) and not as a registered Democrat who actually worked for the Simpson campaign for a time.
So to close — forwarding that message out was idiotic, especially for it to go to politicians and media people as well as activists. Focusing on the fact I put down the core of Samm’s supporters (who I assume you are) doesn’t exactly change the stupidity of assuming an April Fools joke was factual.
April 9th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Dear John,
Actually I posed a question (which went unanswered) … you stated your beliefs that her campaign (and by the way no I am neither for nor against samm simpson) was not successful due to several factors which included embracing ‘fringe’ activists.
Fact vs. Opinion: that’s an opinion
Then you continued on to say that she emailed her regular list of people and suddenly these people were (presumably approved) ‘local’ activists.
I’m not sure what a registered Democrat thinks is good about trashing another one …. like obama attacking biden. And this post was more a trashing than a revelation. (read it in the st pete times way back)
As far as fringe beliefs and perhaps being in the minority in comparing bush to hitler …
I’ve slipped into the majority there 84% and if you key into google (yick DONT use google again, though) ‘bush v hitler’ the 0.13 second response gives one POINT six MILLION hits. I recently received the highest marks possible (PLUS) for a 5000 word expository essay on Bush’s signing statements and his run-up similarity to the beginning of the nazi regime in Germany. So many people discuss martial law that I can’t believe there’s anyone missing these discussions. One should view the Sedition Act, the changes to Posse Comatitus and last but not least … really read those signing statements.
In fact, I’m a bit suspicious of anyone who claims not to notice that Americs is not quite America anymore.
Where did these free speech ZONES come from? America is founded on the principal that this land is one HUGE free speech zone.
Why would you put down the core of Samm’s supporters, anyway?
I got behind Jim Davis and supported him even though I had some trepidation and even though I never quite believed they’d let him win (another subject on that debacle of a farce) … but afterwards, I have not begun looking for opportunities to trash him though several have arisen.
I’m just wondering why you choose to highlight her error rather than underscoring that she is still out there trying??
I guess her losing had nothing to do with going up against an extremely popular and entrenched opponent?
I dunno. I’m new at all of this — but I will say this: When I woke up from my snooze at the wheel it was to REALITY not to some pretense that things are just fine.
As well, I’ve noticed the blatant attempts to discredit bloggers and any other person speaking the truth. It’s no accident.
Speaking truth to power you supposin’ that power is not swatting back?
She gets a million emails .. good for her even reading them. I don’t.
Wrong email.
Right conscientious move.
I’ve been caught up in fake stuff before. So what? That’s really on the perp not the victim. Major newspapers once published (probably more than once) the wrong name as winning the Pres. election. It’s like with Congress believing Bush’s lies. We should be able to trust our President not to LIE us into a war. This is really not on her but on the person who perped it.
Oh and you people and your labels crack me up. It’s gone beyond amusing to plain …. confounding.
We’re all rowing the same boat.
April 9th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Check this:
http://www.djpauledge.com/wewillnotbesilenced/
Somewhat related (anti-war) — but cool as sh|t and worth checking out.
April 9th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Oh man, Lee Nelson. That IS COOL !!!!
Thanks.