Last week, we received an unsolicited email from the campaign office of a man running for Congress here in CLAYCORD, his name is John Fitzgerald.
The email didn’t come from John Fitzgerald himself, but it was an “official” campaign email address from one of his staff members.
Here’s what the email had to say.
SUBJECT: WANT TO HELP JOHN WIN?
MESSAGE: Just hand out John’s campaign flyers outside BART stations during commute hours wearing a John Fitzgerald for Congress T-shirt (we provide).To find out which BART stations to flyer at and get your T-shirt (and flyers if you need), please call Patrick 415-336-4728
Here’s Patrick’s technique for handing out flyers at BART:
When there’s a rush of riders, I make eye contact with a middle aged African American woman, smile and ask “Democrat?” while holding out a leaflet. Once she takes it, everyone behind her will follow suit. This way, I’ve easily given out about 500 leaflets per day. You need to be proactive, though.
If you get blown off, break off contact take a mental breath, regroup, smile and repeat. People will do whatever the person in front of them does.
Interesting message. we had to read it twice to make sure we weren’t seeing things.
What’s your opinion on singling out a middle aged African-American lady, who they assume is a democrat and will be more than happy to take a flyer? Or, better yet, do you always do what the person in front of you does, just like they say?
John Fitzgerald has been contacted, and so has everybody on his contact page, including his campaign manager, his media person and his web developer, but it’s been about 5-days, and they’ve all failed to respond.
Talk about it!
{ 116 comments }
I have never heard of John Fitzgerald. If this is how he approves the running of his campaign no wonder I haven’t heard of him.
JF needs to take some Sensitivity Training. LOL
I will hand out those flyers, but only to the garbage can right there at BART.
He is runnig against that clown Miller in CA-7.
He has my vote no matter what his tactics are.
Miller’s time is up.
Not appropriate at all. I have got the ‘no thank you’ down so well, that I don’t take a flyer just because someone in front of me does. If someone leaves a flyer on my car windshield I throw it on the ground without even looking at it too, it’s just a lazy way to get business, and now they’ll have to pick up the parking lot too.
Just another dirt bag politician scrambling to get a position he doesn’t deserve!
I agree with #4
When someone takes a flyer in front of me, I think “Fool. Now you have to carry it with you til you can throw it away.”
Why is anyone shocked by this? It’s marketing 101.
Why not, thats how Obama got elected
Since when is targeting a specific demographic an issue? Worked for the current POTUS.
Well, I was going to say JF does not have my vote, but if he is running against Miller, then he is worth a look. Miller is not my kind of representative and certainly does not deserve my vote. But, Miller does represent a very left community of entitlement money suckers and he certainly does a good job for them. Whether that is good for anyone other than entitlement money suckers is really not an argument, it is indeed horrible for people with any sort of good character and integrity and basic human dignity.
George Miller is our Representative, and has done a fantastic job. He will be reelected without much problem. This is an acy of desparation by somebody with no chance of winning.
Is that a trick email? Everyone knows that black people don’t vote. Except when Obama runs.
Someone needs a good PR man … I would call clinton
Thank you, #8, for carrying the flyer until you can throw it away. Shirley, just because someone puts litter on your car doesn’t give you the right to throw it on the ground. Find a garbage can!
what a douche bag. he definitely won’t be getting my vote.
@Shirley: While I too have the “No Thank You” comment down, I will never throw a flyer on the ground when left on my car windshield. That is just the lazy way of discarding the flyer. Put it in your car and throw it out when you get home. You still don’t have to read it, just quit littering.
Anon 16 & 18 said it for me, don’t litter, Shirley. You become part of the problem.
This is exactly how our “president” got elected!
I’ll vote for anyone who votes is running against Miller.
And what’s wrong with marketing based on demographics? Isn’t that how Obama got the job? By targeting naive young people who don’t pay taxes?
Only Democrats will do what a Democrat in front of them does
I’d say the PR guy needs to go!
I NEVER take anything people are trying to hand you on the street. I keep my hands by my sides and keep moving.
‘People will always do what the person in front of them does”…Jim Jones 1978
Anon 12:34 is sooo right!!! Mooooooo!
I personally know John Fitzgerald and was blown away when I read the article on Claycord. I know JF to be a man deeply concerned with the problems we are facing in our city and our nation: education, jobs, crime, political corruption and the economy, to name a few off the top of my head. He is a family man, a straight shooter, a small business owner and someone who I believe to be a stand-up guy. If indeed he authorized the BART strategy he had a reason and for his own reputation he should explain himself. If he knew nothing about it and a very eager campaign manager was making it up as he went along without authorization, then that warrants an explanation as well. Or could it be a sabotage effort from another political office? AHHH, the world of politics…
Anon 1:01, the email came from his office, it was the guys name @johnfitzgeraldforcongress.com. I emailed them about a week ago for a comment, and emailed them again, and again, but received no response, so I have no doubt it was meant to be released, otherwise they would have offered an explination or at least gave me a “no comment”.
Boy did they send it to the wrong person when they sent it to you, Mr. Mayor. That is, unless they sent it on purpose, in which case i cannot believe they thought THAT would go over well.
Shirley, the fine for littering is $1000 and/or 6-months in the County Jail.
Shirley, you are a litterbug and should be ashamed of yourself. Please go sit in the corner for one minute for each year you’ve been littering this Earth.
Surprised that no one is yelling “racial profiling”.
I think it’s a good strategy – after all, chances that an African-American female is a democrat are pretty good, and if you need a start, why not start with a good chance?
As for the littering – I throw unwanted fliers stuck to my car on the ground as well. Why? Because the distributors of the fliers are being fined – and they deserve it.
Either it’s a hoax or fascinating.
“When there’s a rush of riders, I make eye contact with a middle aged African American woman, smile and ask ‘Democrat?’ while holding out a leaflet. Once she takes it, everyone behind her will follow suit.”
Is that true? What happens if I remove a variable such as “rush of riders” or “smile?” Does the gender, age, race, dress style of the person handing out the leaflets matter? What’s the effectiveness of the morning vs. evening rush? How common are middle aged African American woman? Should I get a job with Mythbusters or as a statistical data cruncher for a campaign? Do the same techniques work if you are single and looking for that special person?
Well, I know John and personally think he has several screws loose. Just watch his video on his website about the 9/11 conspiracy???? Wow he might just fit right in in Government!
When you litter you are the litterer. If BART PD sees you it’s a mandatory fine, plus community service– to pick up trash on the side of 680 one Saturday.
I just looked at John Fitzgerald’s web site. Nice guy but he will loose as the stuff he thinks and writes about are important but not sexy.
1:11 – thanks for the chuckle. You have a great sense of humor
27 or 1:01 – If you know Mr. Fitzgerald to be a man of integrity, I would suggest you tell him how he appears to us and counter the image which is growing.
This is how ALL politicians operate. If you think this is a Dem only tactic then you are an ignorant fool. But then again if you aren’t a business owner or you don’t make over $250k/yr and you vote Rep that’s not a shocker that you’re ignorant.
Yah he’s such a dirtbag that you allow his flashing banner on the left. Money talks…haha
All this guy did was write down waht everyone knows. George Miller is a POS.
It’s funny how he assumes (or maybe knows from experience) that democrats will do what the democrat in front of them are doing. Just like a buncha sheep! Bahahahahahaha I wonder if this guy got his advice from ACORN (That IS how they got Obama elected)
Miller has to go. As one of pelosi’s “lieutenant’s”, he’s done enough damage and works for those who keep his pockets full. he’s worthless, AND the bridge on concord Ave. needs to be renamed, as does the benicia bridge too.
Anonymous 1:24
You are right that this is not just a “Dem” tactic but what political party do you have to be with to leave the context of the conversation at hand and strike out at someones personal beliefs. It has come to a sorry condition in this state and even in this country that simply stating an opinion will result in personal and unfounded attacks. The point here is that JF has his beliefs and since I know in my mind that they are wrong I can voice my opinion by voting, not by calling people names!
I think he just blew his chance by not responding to Mr. Mayor. I know Fitzgerald’s democrat, but he sounds kind of tea party to me. This is the best we have to offer? Explains a lot!
Huh? There isn’t a Fitzgerald ad on this site.
I don’t see what’s wrong with this. He’s not discriminating against anybody. He’s not being demeaning towards anyone. He’s trying to get people to take a flyer by handing it first to someone who he thinks is more likely to take it. A middle-aged black woman is likely to be a Democrat statisticly. I honestly don’t see what the problem is.
El Diablo,
Wow, I just watched the video about his opinion regarding a conspiracy with our government to conceal the truth about 9/11. His son turned him on to the information and he got sucked right in. It looks like one of his top priorities is to re-investigate 9/11 to his satisfaction. Poor choice of priorities.
Trouble is: There are very few African-American adults riding BART to/from Concord or PH.
OK. I just read the crap about 9/11 on his website. This guy is WACKO. He must have some Hollywood friends if the thinks there was a conspiracy…Who thinks this? A quote from his website “…said he suspects an intentional demolition using thermite or some other explosive material.” that was used to bring down the twin towers? Wow. Miller must have recruited this guy to run against him just so he would look good.
#43 Until you start coming down on the neocons and tea baggers that flood this blog with their “liberals are ruining america” bullshit, stfu you hypocrite.
The from email address can very easily be forged. I wouldn’t doubt that this could be a ploy from someone in the other camp to give bad press to their opponent.
probably some sort of hoax. but at least it introduced us to this kookoo. that 9/11 video was tough to watch.
I don’t see any problems with this internal memo. Targeting demographics is done all the time in politics and marketing. It’s a non-issue.
On the other hand, these comments did get me interested in checking out Fitzgerald’s website. The guy sadly turns whackadoo with the 9/11 conspiracy stuff. I’d love to vote for someone besides ‘No Child Left Behind’ Miller but it’s not gonna be this guy.
Sounds conveniently embarrassing. Even if it’s real, would you be trying to convince your opposition to support your candidate in a quick paced situation or reaffirm your primary demographic of their support?
Naively most sheeple follow the herd, though on occasion some think for themselves.
I personally would grab one out of curiosity not because someone ahead of me grabbed it.
As for his other beliefs, I would like to know who (and why) are behind the biggest power grab in US history. But we will never find out. Standard operating procedure = keep general public in ignorance. Otherwise why would bush and cheney testify together, off the record and behind closed doors. Don’t give me that ‘national security’ BS. There are plenty of national secrets that are ‘on the record’ but ‘Top Secret’ and never seen by the public.
The most secure, technologically advanced nation couldn’t detect before hand the ‘terrorist plot’. Let alone stop the planes? Crashing into two of the most prominent buildings in the US. To many convenient failures.
I can understand the lower levels being pulverized from the kinetic energy. But the top half of the buildings above the failure points should have fallen almost horizontally. You can see in the videos the momentum tipping the tops then ‘self-correcting’.
K.I.S.S. The simplest explanation is usually the correct one. (and make sure the public never EVER finds out.)
I bet very few of us know whats in the PATRIOT acts.
I feel sorry for people who tow the party line and can’t think for themselves.
I personally wouldn’t be basing my campaign on conspiracy theories to each his own.
We have more pressing problems facing society (and ssssh don’t mind the man behind the curtain).
Not a neocon website that explains all the military actions we’ve taken so far:
http://www.newamericancentury.org/
These people aren’t of the government but they sure are in it!
They have since taken the Iran letter off the site, but rest assured we will be pushed into action against Iran soon enough. (Gotta keep the money following to the big corporations!)
I used to think the US might collapse like other countries have… but have since realized the people behind the Federal Reserve just wouldn’t let that happen.
We’ll just live in poverty to prop up the people behind the corporations that run this country.
Get out and vote! (ohh the sarcasm!)
The only thing missing on this guy’s site is a conspiracy video discussing the landing on the moon that never happened… What a whack job. He should stop inhaling those paint fumes – they’re obviously harmful.
This doesn’t seem offensive to me but then I’m not black.Or a Democrat. Or thin skinned.
Curious Mr.Mayor, Will Claycord be supporting any candidates in the upcoming elections? Will you accept paid ads from all candidates?
White GUILT!
WOW! The ONLY study any of you people did was watch the Alphabet channels and let them DICTATE to you what happened on 911.
Please do some more research. I’m sure you would like to declare the 1,200 Architects & Engineers as “Nuts” for wanting to re-investigate 911.
http://cms.ae911truth.org/
“He is runnig against that clown Miller in CA-7″
He might just get elected, considering the anti incumbent mood of voters.
“the fine for littering is $1000 and/or 6-months in the County Jail.”
Like that would happen with the current DA.
#55,
So what’s up with the guys Left leg at 2:18 in video? Do you let your “faith” override Common sense?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdMvQTNLaUE&NR=1
That’s right little Kiddies, anyone that would question the government would be conspiratorial whack jobs, and you wouldn’t want to do that. Your government loves you so please be sure to drink your fluoride and get all your vaccinations, You wouldn’t want to be an unpatriotic sinner.
http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/us-state-department-says-conspiracy-theories-exist-in-the-realm-of-myth_05232010
I never knew about this or even saw this email till this non-issue was brought to my attention. However, to rebut the Mayor’s charge, my internet guy says he did email back to the Mayor per his request for comment on May 20.
As to the content of the Mayor’s post here, Patrick, one of our volunteers, was flyering at all four BART stations within my District, and – surprise – we have significant African-American communities and we reach out to them just as we obviously reach out to all communities. I find nothing to be ashamed of in our inclusive voter outreach. Anybody who knows me knows that I care deeply about all people. Just take a look at my platform and read my bio and judge me for yourself. Prior to this incident, I contacted Claycord two times for an interview with not even a response. But Claycord jumped on this in a heartbeat. I ask why?
Before my speech at the Diablo Valley Democratic Club, a month ago, a Claycord reporter interviewed me there but for some reason Claycord never published the interview. Why not? Please go and listen to my speeches about we the people who don’t get a say in our government at http://www.JohnFitzgeraldForCongress.com – I would still love to do that interview with you, Mr. Mayor. And by the way, our campaign staff is as ethnically diverse as it gets, so please cut the spin. Let’s talk about the real issues that face our country and our communities. I would love to speak to any and all of you about the issues so feel free to contact me. I always make myself available. Sincerely, John Fitzgerald john@johnfitzgeraldforcongress.com
Atticus,
No, I never mention my political views on the site, and this year will be no different. Vote for whoever you want to vote for, it shouldn’t be up to me to tell you who to vote for, that’s the way I look at it.
Yes, anybody who wants to advertise can advertise, that’s completely fine with me.
Mayor
Anonymous May 25, 2010 at 5:26 PM said…
“He might just get elected, considering the anti incumbent mood of voters.”
I sure hope so. Miller needs to be replaced. After 35 years it is time for, what was the big push in 2008, oh yeah, A Change we can believe in.
Unfortunately the absentee ballot my wife recieved (alas, she is a democrat but I still love her) does not indicate that Miller is the incumbant. Somehow that critical piece of information was left off for all the offices.
From reading the comments on here, I can see that John Fitzgerald is not the only wackadoodle. Conspiracy theories are alive and well on Claycord.
No, I don’t find the staffer email anything to get upset about. I didn’t find it insulting to middle-aged black women. In fact, if you think about it, it could be considered complementary to them. He’s assuming they are inclined to think the same way he does politically.
I see the tin-foil hat brigade has chosen this field to showcase their crop circles.
that’s hilarious!
This guy is a whack job, unfortunately so is Miller. I say we write in the Mayor on the ballot.
“…….The email I posted bothered me, it came off like we are all a bunch of sheep, following what the person in front of us does.”
After reading these comments, maybe it’s because you really are sheep.
Ignorance is bliss!
Looks like Cowellian is trolling from mommies basement.
If you have a view other than His, you are a tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theorist.
I think Fox news is on Cowellian, you wouldn’t want to miss your daily bread.
John sounds like a d-bag.
All I got to say is one thing… Vote George out….Put a young progressive in. There’s something about Fitzgerald that I would take a chance. He’s got fire and seems to know his stuff. I bet if you ask him a question, he’ll give you an answer unlike Miller or Garimendi. Give this kid a chance.
Clearly Mr. Fitzgerald is not familiar with Claycord.com. I don’t think I could vote for someone who is that out of touch.
Funny thing about bart you need permission to pass out fliers at any bart station and the message needs to be approved. In addition to that i spend a lot of time at the walnut creek bart station and very rarely see anyone passing out flies to anyone let alone this john guy anyhow don’t believe everything you read.
I would advise many of your readers to have an open mind and watch “911: Press for Truth”. You can do a google search and watch it on your computer or check my website for it in the next 24 hours. It is a documentary about five widows (the Jersey Girls) who lost their husbands in the World Trade Centers and through media pressure forced the Bush Administration (after two years) to form the 911 Commission. Six of the ten commissioners in 2009 admitted they were lied to and are calling for a new, independent investigation of the events of the 911. A public television station in Denver aired the show (along with 911: Blueprint for Truth) and their phones were ringing off the hook–they were so overwhelmed. People said they could not believe the testimonies that they heard, and the evidence that we were never told that was corroborated through credible news agencies throughout the world. Have the guts to watch these videos and research the evidence within them on your own. Visit http://patriotsquestion911.com/ and think for yourselves. Don’t believe me or any other source without doing your own research. But please…do your research. Our children’s future depends on it.
The flier says1,000,000 plus Iraqis dead? Isn’t that the same number the Muslim clerics are using to justify killing Americans? WTF
He’s just another wacko politician making up numbers to get elected. 911 conspiracy nut stuff makes him no better than using WMD’s to justify earlier actions… this country has huge real problems today and this guys wants to look at 911 again? Both he and Washington are out of touch with what we really need…
If John Fitzgerald 76 is the “real” John Fitzgerald he is just some conspiracy lunatic. Wow.
Mr. Mayor,
Apologies if I didn’t apologize to you personally, but the first I knew about this issue was a ridiculous post on halfwaytoconcord.com citing “white guilt” and a photo of Tyler Perry in drag. Forgive me if I felt it didn’t warrant a response.
On to the email. While I was handing out fliers in Richmond and Pittsburg/Bay Point, I found that the most receptive demographic were middle aged african american women. These were the people who lit up when they heard of another democrat challenging George Miller, people who paid attention to what is going on in the district, nation and world, people perhaps resentful that they could be relied on to vote D over R regardless of the candidate – but most importantly, well-informed, strong people who held their families together and want what’s best for their children and grandchildren.
John’s their candidate, and hence the smear. Call me a racial profiler, litterer or worse, it doesn’t bother me. For hate calls, my mobile number is 415-336-4728, for spam emails it’s patrick@johnfitzgeraldforcongress.com.
Middle aged african american women were the ones who would take the fliers, scan over them, double back and come back to me (despite being exhausted after a full day’s work and maybe running late for dinner, their rides or buses) and ask for a *stack* of John’s fliers to pass out at work, church or their neighborhoods. I can’t say what specifically drew them back, but it could be the mention that the banks, foreign and domestic, have stolen $23 TRILLION as of July last year. It’s the biggest heist in history and George Miller should be raising Cain. He’s not.
Although George Miller’s no Cheney – he’s a progressive and I applaud his progressive stance, people know that he’s part of the establishment, the machine that goes along to get along.
But most people now know that despite epithets of “wackadoodle” or “tin-foil hats” we really do need to re-examine the central event that brought us the Patriot Act(s), torture, rendition, wiretapping, Iraq, Afghanistan and coming soon, either Pakistan, Iran or North Korea.
9/11. Most people smell a rat – two thirds of Americans and the overwhelming majority of people outside of the states. If you think one guy in a cave and 19 others with boxcutters outfoxed NORAD, the Pentagon and the USAF, let me offer you some beachfront property in Arizona. My uncle’s also the former Nigerian Finance Minister. Seriously, just Google “WTC7 BBC.” They called it 40 minutes too early.
But back to John. If you met him, you’d vote for him. Before you cast your vote by mail or on June 8th, please read through his platform at http://johnfitzgeraldforcongress.com and decide for yourself. We got into this race late and with zero corporate/special interest funding. We don’t have Miller’s millions to send you junk mail, robo-calls or huge banners – not that he even bothered campaigning this time around. Perhaps it will take a while to get your head around the monstrous evil that was/is 9/11, but know that John’s heart is in the right place and he wants the best for us all.
I’m just a guy who met John and know him for who he is. That’s why I’m so passionate that he gets to Congress, and maybe that’s why african american women see the same thing. Although I hate the cliche “now more than ever” we do need representatives to speak truth to power, like Dennis Kucinich, Alan Grayson, Ron Paul and John Fitzgerald. You can make it happen.
Thank you,
Patrick
For some reason, this made me laugh. Unlike the multitude of prerecorded political phone calls that I’ve been getting lately. Since this is a family blog, I can’t repeat the language I use when these messages begin.
Suffice it to say, Mr. Fitzgerald’s campaign helpers are lucky I’m not riding BART these days or they might hear a bit of it, too.
John, thanks for the response. First off, I never received a reply from Patrick on the 20th, that is why I sent out another group of emails on the 23rd asking if you wanted to respond.
And I think you are confusing claycord with somebody/something else. Nobody from claycord was at the DVC event, and I never received an email from you asking for an interview, I would have happily done one.
The email I posted bothered me, it came off like we are all a bunch of sheep, following what the person in front of us does.
Mayor
This thread is a hoot. So many people talking smack who obviously either won’t do their research or clearly so closed minded that they’d rather talk smack before looking into a candidate. No wonder the country is so unbelievably screwed. Bailouts, fascism, growing police state and yet most continue to cling to their all sacred ego just to grand stand in a forum and show how cool they think they are. I really hope ego serves everyone just as well once the riots start here, it’s not going to be one of those fun “i told ya so” instances at all.
I personally do not like the inference of profiling, and also do not like the flyer left on my windshield (I do throw it in a trash can though) — I wish we could attend a non partisan class that would help us understand the candidates and propositions — I have been reading up on the propositions and hour a night and am not through the decision making process yet — as for the representatives.. well something has to change in government — those that listen, respond, and react to public comment should be given a chance — the rest – .. well rime for someone new..The flyers help to bring the candidates into ‘view’ to be reviewed..
Any political figure who believes in conspiracy theories does not deserve to be in office.
Also this email is not racist. This is the kind of stuff we need to get over.
The guy mentions the word African American and people get worried.
None of you are black!!! Stop trying to fight their fight, slavery was not your fault!
People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids?…It’s just not right. It’s not right. It’s not, it’s not going to change anything. We’ll, we’ll get our justice….Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we’re all stuck here for a while. Let’s try to work it out. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to work it out.
Dear Mr. Roddie.
The first statement that I found interesting in your response was that you are proffering a democrat as a counter to a progressive considering by and large they are one in the same. Progressives generally stand in opposition to conservative ideologies.
Your Second statement that caught my attention was when you called registered voters like me quote “epithets of “wackadoodle” or “tin-foil hats”. Just so that you understand the word epithet when used in that context denotes it as an expression used invectively as a term of abuse or contempt, to express hostility, etc.
In case you didn’t know what invectively means…
–noun
1.vehement or violent denunciation, censure, or reproach.
2.a railing accusation; vituperation.
3.an insulting or abusive word or expression.
–adjective
4.vituperative; denunciatory; censoriously abusive.
Now that you have insulted many registered voters including me, lets move onto your ideology that quote “one guy in a cave and 19 others with boxcutters outfoxed NORAD, the Pentagon and the USAF, let me offer you some beachfront property in Arizona. My uncle’s also the former Nigerian Finance Minister. Seriously, just Google “WTC7 BBC.” They called it 40 minutes too early.”
I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but simply making the accusation that only 20 people had a hand in 9/11 is outrageous.
I watched the video, and frankly I don’t know the New York skyline so I won’t comment on that. If you’ve never been in any kind of emergency preparedness drill or disaster you might not understand the chaos, and lack of communication that exists. I’m curious though, if it was a press release why was BBC the only one that aired it?
Just so you know I enjoy picking apart fallacies…
–noun,plural-cies.
1.a deceptive, misleading, or false notion, belief, etc.: That the world is flat was at one time a popular fallacy.
>>>>>>>2.a misleading or unsound argument.
3.deceptive, misleading, or false nature; erroneousness.
>>>>>>>4.Logic. any of various types of erroneous reasoning that render arguments logically unsound.
Mr Mayor,
A couple of points.
*Nobody* called me, despite my mobile phone number being posted in your article on Claycord. Since I was the one being accused of white guilt and racial profiling, it would seem I’d be the logical person to speak to. I’d have been happy to clear this up before being branded a racist.
Also, isn’t this you interviewing John at Diablo Valley Democrats? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyhesY0pEFk – fast forward to the 3:55 point.
Patrick
Patrick, I think you’re getting a lot of things mixed up here. I never claimed to have called you, I emailed you several times. I don’t have your phone number, nor is it in the article on CLAYCORD.com. And no, that’s not me in the video, that is Edi Birsan, who is a very active citizen in the Concord community. Edi does not work for CLAYCORD.com and has never claimed to work for CLAYCORD.com.
And I never said anything about “white guilt” and never called you a racist.
Mr Mayor,
You didn’t post my number? Re-read the article you posted. I’ve kept a screen grab if you need it.
“MESSAGE: Just hand out John’s campaign flyers outside BART stations during commute hours wearing a John Fitzgerald for Congress T-shirt (we provide).To find out which BART stations to flyer at and get your T-shirt (and flyers if you need), please call Patrick 415-336-4728″
Also, the person in the video (Edi?) introduced himself to John as a reporter for Claycord. Odd thing to say if he wasn’t.
This is getting silly.
I didn’t realize your number was in the email. Edi isn’t a reporter for CLAYCORD, and I highly doubt he introduced himself as a reporter for CLAYCORD.
And just to clarify, I didn’t call you a racist, I’m guessing you agree with that, correct? That was NOT on my blog.
Patrick,
The mayor might not have called you a racist, but I sure as hell will. Things like this are why racial profiling in this country have no hopes of ending as long as people like you are out there. Instead of targeting “a middle-aged African American woman” (your own words according to the email your people sent out), why not target “a middle aged potential support”? But no, you SPECIFY that you target African-Americans. Now, don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying you are the kind of racist that is full of hatred and sees another race as inferior to your own. I would never presume that of you because you’ve done nothing to indicate that. But the fact that you are singling out a particular race because they create a means to your ends is, quite simply, wrong.
Race, origin, creed, and orientation should mean nothing. But so long as there are people out there who can’t see beyond the color of someone’s skin, the embarrassing racism of this country will never cease. I look forward to a day when people open their eyes and end this foolishness so that we can unite into a powerful, prosperous nation that doesn’t waste time bickering over things that do nothing but cause an even bigger divide between the people and can instead work to further the prosperity of the nation, for all people, equally.
Patrick Roddie is not a very good spin doctor.
Patrick, I don’t know you, but I hate you.
Anybody who doesn’t recognize Mr. Edi Birsan on sight has never put their finger on the pulse of Concord politics. Patrick, you, and your boss, have been outed as wannabees.
Here’s the link to original story I posted at Halfway To Concord.
http://www.halfwaytoconcord.com/fitzgerald-staffer-recommends-racial-gender-profiling-and-white-guilt-as-bart-leafletting-strategy/
If you don’t know what’s going on with Tyler Perry in drag than you don’t know squat about the black community. But given your near picaninny description concerning the whites of the eyes of the people you clearly state you target, I will I stand by the definition of profiling.
That said, your analysis of progressive re George Miller is moronic. BGR
In Oakland I parked at an off-airport long-term parking-lot. They gave us a free shuttle to the airport. The shuttle bus was full. I was the last one off and I noticed nobody was thanking or tipping the driver. I told him he did a good job, gave him a nice tip, and asked him why nobody tips. His answer: “If the first person off doesn’t tip, nobody tips, and it’s probably a sign of the economy”
On my flight back I made sure to be the first one off the bus; I loudly thanked the driver for doing a fantastic job, and I loudly said “here’s a $5 tip because you were so awesome and because you loaded my heavy bags for me without even me asking”
The fourteen folks behind me also thanked the driver, and tipped him.
By the way, I’m a female, black, Democrat. Patrick is a defensive jackass and Fitzgerald is an offensive whack-a-doodle. Has anybody contacted BART to see if the Fitzgerald committee has a permit to leaflet at each station they leafleted? 510 464-7134
Well the statement is true though, how many african american republicans do you know? Probably zero, so it is smart to hand out democratic flyers to african americans
@ Anon 96
Your rhetorical question about black Republicans is unfounded. For example:
Abram Wilson, a black Republican and Mayor of San Ramon is running for AD-15 v Joan Buchanan
Virginia Fuller, a black Republican woman is running in the CA-07 primary and arguably has more chance of winning her primary than Fitzgerald.
http://www.halfwaytoconcord.com/ca-07-gop-congressional-primary-update/
#96 : that, my friend, if profiling.
i meant to say: “styLin and profilin” …now its all ruined. lol.
Why am I not surprised to view all
the negativity and untruth’s here about
Mr. Fitzgerald. People in the quickness
like to turn and churn and twist what they
know nothing about into something that’s
evil, vile, and wicked to demeaning ones
integrity.
Anyone that lives here in the Concord/
Martinez area knows that Mr. Fitzgerald is
a loving Son, Brother, Husband,
Father and Friend to hundreds of people.
He knows the needs of ( The Voter’s )
and will see to it our voice’s are heard and
no one will be left behind.
I’ve read the email and quite frankly
I took it as a very nice complement to
women of any color and age.
This August I’ll be 60 and found women
around my age are very interested in this
election and want to know all about Mr.
Fitzgerald and his platform as he’ll be the
first opponent in years to run against
Mr. Miller. I admirer Mr. Fitzgerald to
stand up and fight for each individual’s right.
The email that was sent out was done without
Mr. Fitzgerald’s knowledge and while in a meeting
with him is when this all came about.
What wasn’t said is how the sender had just given
out over 500 flyers at the Bay Point Bart Station
and the women are the ones asking the questions
about Mr. Fitzgerald and glad he’s got the will power
to take on Mr. Miller in this upcoming election.
It’s nice to see people are waking up to all the wrong
doing our elected officials have been up to.
So what was said in the email was very harmless
it’s a shame people have to bring something ugly
into something that was really a true testament to
us mighty fine aging ladies.
It’s time for a change and I honestly hope that
Mr. Fitzgerald wins as we need his help to stand
up and fight for us and not sit back and just let
issues slide for someone else to deal with and
we know how that goes…..It doesn’t.
Please email Mr. Fitzgerald with your questions
and concerns he’ll be more than glad you did and
he, Will respond to your emails.
Mr. Fitzgerald did attend an open Q & A event
in Concord at the Farmer’s Market but found it
wasn’t being held open to the public. Which was
very misleading and upsetting as so many people
wanted to ask questions and many wanted to hear
how to get really important issues addressed and
what can be done to change this mess all around
for the better and good of the people.
They had tents set up for you to just walk up to do
Q & A’s and once again it wasn’t very productive
to the people’s needs.
is this really the issue we should be talking about with regards to John Fitzgerald? is this is the best of a hit piece you can come up with, try, try again.
this hit piece of a non-issue acts like john or patrick is only going after african americans. this piece creates more social divide while not addressing the issues the voters want to know about. let’s talk about that.
Frequent Flyer (#95) – You’re my hero for the day. Thanks for reminding me that there are still people with class out there.
You Say:
John Fitzgerald has been contacted, and so has everybody on his contact page, including his campaign manager, his media person and his web developer, but it’s been about 5-days, and they’ve all failed to respond.
Yet, I replied but you’ve not posted mine,,,,may I ask why?
I don’t even know who you are.
is your post a haiku?
The 9/11 truthers sent this email out to their Paulista foot soldiers to try and flood the internet with their comments to falsely show they are the majority opinion. These people are not only supporting this 9/11 truther candidate, they are also PUSHING to get John Dennis elected in the 8th CD. As a rule of thumb, anyone these freaks support, I won’t. Beware of these people and their Ron Paul tactics. Read their email below.
Patrick to wearechangesf-.
show details 12:10 PM (2 hours ago)
To follow up on Frank’s earlier message, John and I are getting smeared as
racists with white guilt by a bunch of dumbasses.
They’re also attacking us because we’re “wack-a-doodle” to question the
official 9/11 story.
Comments would be highly appreciated.
http://claycord.com/2010/05/25/weird-controversial-email-sent-out-by-the-off
ice-of-a-man-running-for-congress-in-claycord/
–
Patrick Roddie, Photographer
patrick@webbery.com
http://webbery.com
(415) 336-4728 m
To those who would consider Mr. Fitzgerald (and anyone who does not believe the official 9/11 Commission report) a “whack job”:
Are you aware that John Farmer — the Senior Counsel for the 9/11 Commission, Dean of Rutger Universities’ School of Law and former Attorney General of New Jersey, the guy responsible for drafting the original 9/11 report — says in his book “The Ground Truth” that the official version of 9/11 was based on false testimony and documents and is almost entirely untrue? Is he just another “whackadoodle”?
If you’d take the time to read his book, as Mr. Fitzgerald most likely has, you’ll find he carefully outlines the details of a massive cover-up: “…at some level of the government, at some point in time…there was an agreement not to tell the truth about what happened… I was shocked at how different the truth was from the way it was described. … The [Norad air defense] tapes told a radically different story from what had been told to us and the public for two years. This is not spin.” Yep, he’s definitely nuts.
Furthermore, did you know that in 2006, The Washington Post reported…”Suspicion of wrongdoing ran so deep that the 10-member commission, in a secret meeting at the end of its tenure in summer 2004, debated referring the matter to the Justice Department for criminal investigation, according to several commission sources. Staff members and some commissioners thought that e-mails and other evidence provided enough probable cause to believe that military and aviation officials violated the law by making false statements to Congress and to the commission…” Probably never heard that, right? It’s not entirely your fault, I suppose, in that the story probably wasn’t reported on Fox News, or CNN or NPR for that matter. Time to dig deeper, and I don’t mean in order to stick your heads further in the sand (or other places).
Why should we “go back and look at 9/11″? Think about it. 9/11 has been the proximate cause for two major US wars, the subsequent suspension of civil liberties and the Constitution, the driving rationalization for torture, illegal wiretaps, and on and on. The Middle East is in flames and the conflagration may get worse before it gets better, with major implications for the entire world. Call me crazy, but I sort of think that matters a little bit.
Given what has occurred – and the nature of the stakes – doesn’t it make sense to get a fuller and more accurate accounting of what REALLY took place on 9/11? Doesn’t the US government owe it to the voters, We the People? Wouldn’t any representative government want to give its citizens an honest accounting? There are so many questions beyond the fate of the buildings themselves. Perhaps these questions are based on flawed information, who knows, perhaps they are the outcome of paranoid thinking. The way to put them to bed is with a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation. That’s all Mr. Fitzgerald is asking for — makes sense to me. So before you puff up your chests and spew out more tired cliché’s in a pathetic, self-righteous pissing contest based on ignorance, try thinking for yourselves, do some research, then make up your own minds.
Mr. Mayor,
One of your readers suggested we stop this bantering for our children’s and senior citizen’s sake. I agree. There are so many more important issues to focus on that are truly affecting our families and our communities. I care equally as much as you and your readers do about the direction our country is headed. Let’s please stop the negative spin and focus on the important issues at hand. All of us realize that this economy is greatly impacting our families and our future. I want to bring us together and not further divide us. I hope to have the opportunity to meet you and your readers someday and work together to better our communities and this country. That is what is truly important! We need help and it is going to take a collective effort. We are all Americans first and partisan bickering only serves to disconnect us further. Thank you.
JKF, did you or did you not have a permit to leaflet BART?
Does it really help to make a fuss over minor tactical details when so many serious issues are at stake? Anyway, given the real limits of how many people a single volunteer can reach, is it wrong to try to reach those who are most likely to be receptive? Someone complained that the flyers become litter, but consider this: our government is littering the planet with corpses, including those of our sons and daughters. Neither of the major parties has done anything to stop this, and they spend multi-millions of dollars on TV ads and billboards to con us into giving them the power to keep doing it. Which is more important?
This sounds horrible, but the sad thing is, I bet it works…. Studies show that majority of people do what others around them do… its just a reflex. I work in the food industry, and you tend to notice people will wait for somebody to order & then order the exact same thing. Plus, the african american thing (sadly) sounds like a good strategy. Because most are democratic. NOT ALL. But most. Thats a fact.
To JohnDesnnisSucks,
Your strategy of monitoring a groups email communication strictly to spy on them for your own gain seems to be more troubling than techniques of how to hand out fliers.
To ‘Anonymous Student’, #87
I hope you are not studying English, because even though you provided us all with a tedious lecture on word usage, you don’t seem to have mastered idioms. You said ‘….considering by and large they are one in the same’. The correct usage is ‘one and the same’. And no one cares about either of our efforts – we digress.
Frequent Flyer #95
Very smart, you did a good thing that we all can learn from. I believe it is a different situation, though. You provided an example to people who needed a little reminder about doing the right thing, recognizing effort. It would remind me to dig into my wallet. Taking a flier from a stranger in a public place is different – that is accepting solicitation, something I don’t accept at my home or on the phone, so I don’t care how many people do it in front of me. Still, people react differently, so I am sure this tactic has some success.
‘John Fitzgerald’ #109
Did you really not recognize the quote you were praising as belonging to Rodney King? Wow. Normally when people use that quote, it is for the application of sarcasm.
Ok now, the issue to be addressed here is whether George Miller still deserves to serve Disctrict 7. The fact that someone in Mr. Fitzgerald’s Office may have sent that email is irrelevant. The email displays a well known marketing strategy-so what.
The question is…”Do you want more of the same? Do you like what you are getting out of Congress right now?” If the answer is no, then vote for Fitzgerald and put Miller in the unemployment line. It IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE.
Have a nice day!
Ugh what’s the big deal? Most middle-aged African American women ARE democrats so why wouldn’t this be a tactic? Would you suggest they look for crotchety old white dudes wearing 501s, with the T-shirt tucked in and a USA baseball cap? Nope, I think John Fitzgerald sounds like a righteous dude who deserves our votes.
OH MY GOD! He considers middle aged black women receptive! Sound the alarms!!!! And completely ignore his anti war and pro bush cheney war crimes prosecution stance.
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