Maine GOP Head Suspects Voter Fraud Because ‘Dozens, Dozens Of Black People’ Voted

Maine GOP Head Suspects Voter Fraud Because ‘Dozens, Dozens Of Black People’ Voted By Annie-Rose Strasser on Nov 15, 2012 at 9:05 am The head of the Republican Party in Maine thinks there might have been voter fraud in his state because “nobody in town knows anyone who’s black,” but black voters came in to vote on election day. GOP state chairman Charlie Webster aims to find those who committed the alleged fraud fraud by sending thank you cards to voters, and seeing if they are returned to sender. In an interview with an NBC affiliate, Webster said he was astounded by the “dozens, dozens of black people” who voted, and thought it was odd because he personally doesn’t know anyone who knows a black person in town: [quote]In some parts of rural Maine, there were dozens, dozens of black people who came in and voted on Election Day. Everybody has a right to vote, but nobody in town knows anyone who’s black. How did that happen? I don’t know. We’re going to find out…. [quote]I’m not politically correct and maybe I shouldn’t have said these voters were black, but anyone who suggests I have a bias toward any race or group, frankly, that’s sleazy. Watch it: (Video at link) Webster isn’t alone in using race to explain away Republicans’ losses this election season. Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan claimed that Obama won because of the “urban vote.” His running mate, former presidential nominee Mitt Romney, also said yesterday that Obama won re-election because of the “gifts” he gave black people, Latinos, and women. On top of that, Webster’s methodology is, to say the least, flawed. Not knowing any black people isn’t evidence that they don’t exist, and having a piece of mail bounce back is not proof that voters intentionally lied about their address. Indeed, even though Maine has one of the smallest black populations in the country (just 1.3 percent of the state is black), it’s much more likely to find a black Mainer than an instance of voter fraud in the US. Voter fraud is less common than being struck by lightning, of which there’s just a 0.000001 percent chance.

http%3A//thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/11/15/1194481/maine-gop-dozens-black-voters/%3Fmobile%3Dwp



• Black people!!! Everywhere!!! It was horrible!! Some people haven't come out of their homes since then.

• [quote]but nobody in town knows anyone who’s black. How did that happen? Clearly there is a nigger in the woodpile. More than one from the sound of it.

  And%20an%20idiot%20heading%20the%20ME%20GOP

• Oh, that's funny. They only see certain fellow citizens on election day. He leaves himself open to the Santorum/Paul vote suppression accusations that delivered Maine to Romney.

• How does Webster know "dozens" of black people allegedly voted in rural Maine. Does main require voters to disclose their race? Or was a pole taken? Perhaps some "white" voters identify as black. This article also makes good points - Webster and his cronies likely do not know or want to know black Maine residents. Maine has a population of 1.3 million; 1.3 percent black population equals nearly 17,000 people, which is higher than the population of some Caribbean islands. Perhaps if the GOP would be acquainted with and engage black people outside of election years, they wouldn't lose elections. Romney and Ryan - the urban vote includes lots of white people who did not vote for you. Black ad Latino people alone would not vote for Obama. As far as gifts, I've receive no gifts from President Obama, just competent leadership, and a President I can trust who understands the nation. Qualities you lack, former Governor Romney.

  Shaun

• Well, dozens might be the 1.3 percent of the population mentioned above...and even though they weren't "urban" people who wanted "gifts," Maine went for the President.

• I honestly assumed this must have been satire. Wow.

• Lord I pray!!! LOL! Look, I am sure that the Obama campaign would send Black people to a rural area of Maine to commit voter fraud with fake voter registrations, right? That is SO like them. LOL! If this allegation is true in real life, as opposed to the senile over-heated brain of the accusers, then it is another situation, another example of the Repukes shooting themselves in the foot. Because to send Black people into a rural Maine voting precinct to commit fraud so you can blame it on Obama, is something the Republicans would definitely do,if they could, and it definitely meets that standard of the Romney campaign's "truthiness." Do these assholes realize we have figured it out? We KNOW that real voter fraud occurs most often in the C.O.U.N.T.I.N.G. of ballots not in who is voting. We figured that out 12 yrs. ago, and if we still weren't sure, they showed us again in 2004.

• There are dozens of us, DOZENS!

  Tobias%20Funke%2C%20Analrapist.

• These people are like characters out of "Airplane!" or Peter Griffin (Family Guy) come to life. We used to laugh because we thought it was an exaggeration people like this exist, but they do and scarier? In positions of leadership.

• Actually, she might be on to something. If you were a Brother, why the fuck would you live in Maine?

• [quote]How does Webster know "dozens" of black people allegedly voted in rural Maine? That was my first thought upon reading the original post. Presumably she is just basing her insanity on anecdotes from her GOP buddies ("OMGZ! I was just votin' and I saw BLACK PEOPLE!!!"). These people are deranged.

• Don't forget the Fox News headline all day Election day... There's a colored man at the polling place in Florida! That's where these knuckleheads get their info and ideas.

• [quote]How does Webster know "dozens" of black people allegedly voted in rural Maine? [quote]That was my first thought upon reading the original post. Presumably she is just basing her insanity on anecdotes from her GOP buddies ("OMGZ! I was just votin' and I saw BLACK PEOPLE!!!"). These people are deranged. I think this can be attributed to what's called the "availability heuristic." Basically, people who perceive very salient things, concepts, and events tend to overestimate their frequency in the real world. These things later come to mind very easily and become inflated due to this. So, a Republican poll watcher sees a couple of black voters in a relatively rural area, which would be very unusual or salient event in the context, and reports it to the central committee. Then, OMG! there are *loads*, *dozens* of blacks voting in rural areas where they don't belong. OMG, IT'S VOTER FRAUD. No, it's just stupid, lazy thinking.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic

  Tversky & Kahneman

• Facts: 1) Obama won over Romney in Maine by 15 points with over 100,000 more votes. 2) No one could possibly contend that over 100,000 illegally voted in Maine (assuming for the sake of the argument that anyone did, which is a huge stretch). 3) If there were a concerted effort to commit voter fraud in Maine, please explain why the master plan would be to infiltrate rural Maine with foreign black illegal voters. 4) Growing up in small town Midwest, I would frequently meet people who swore I was the first Jew they ever met. They were telling me the truth. But that didn't change the fact that we lived in their election districts. Yes, sometimes even hundreds of us, let alone dozens! The number of idiots in the Republican party is staggering. And they don't shut up!

• R12, Jon Stewart asked Huckabee about that (playing the video of that black guy on a loop): [quote]Huckabee responded that Republicans have done a “pathetic” job explaining to minorities how conservatism “empowers” people to climb up the ladder and improve their lives. The two then took indirect stabs at conservatives like Sean Hannity, who only after the electoral defeat, “evolved” to seeing immigration from a more liberal perspective. [quote]Stewart then took shots at Huckabee’s home network of Fox News for how they “utilize minorities,” showing the audience a compilation of Fox’s incessant election day coverage of the New Black Panther Party. [quote]“You cannot simultaneously use a group of people as a bogeyman,” Stewart said before breathlessly trying to explain the twisted logic of “scaring” voters about “this one black guy” while trying to get the other black guys to vote for you.

  http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-and-mike-huckabee-go-head-to-head-over-religion-abortion-gay-marriage-and-the-gops-woes/

• Why do I picture Aunt Pitty Pat from GWTW running around screaming about Yankees in GA? "Negroes in Maine?!" "How did they get here?!"

• The GOP is still wasting their time whining about everyone rather than finally shutting the fuck up and looking in the mirror. This is why they will keep losing. When you've spent years demonizing millions of people who aren't white, hetero, Christian, male and/or married by calling them moochers and whores and sodomites and terrorists, chances are, you're not going to get their votes. People are not as stupid as the GOP likes to believe, esp., when more and more are finding out that most of the top ten states on the dole are red. Those states with huge minority populations are the reason those worthless red states are even able to stay afloat. The GOP obviously thinks people are stupid because they only encounter their own.

• Well when the populations of most of these towns is 98% white and you have hundreds of non whites show up to vote, people that no one in town recognizes, he's got a point. Question is why didn't the election officials say something to state officials at the time?

• More trouble with math at R18.

• WOW

• Stop embarrassing yourself, R18.

• And the GOP wonders why they lost. These idiotic statements divorced from reality combined with a disdain for voters who aren't white christian families is why they continue to turn away a lot of voters.

• Clearly, the Democrats bussed them in from areas where they already had enough blacks (probably Bridgeport Ct) because you never know when a few dozen extra votes will swing a state like Maine. Also, the Democrats used black people to commit this voter fraud even though white people would have attracted no attention because they wanted the Republicans to know that they had been punked..

• Was one of them the same scary black man in Philadelphia who was holding the door open?

• This whole post-election GOP dance is going from the ridiculous to the pathetic.

  Anon.

• [quote]Question is why didn't the election officials say something to state officials at the time? Because only people like you think there was something amiss? Just curious as to what you think happened. Here, I'll help you convince us that this guy has a point: Over 100,000 "black panthers" drove up to MAINE wearing their berets and forced their way into a voting station in RURAL MAINE. They pistol-whipped the blue-haired old ladies manning the station(s) without anyone noticing... because it was paramount they get Obama a whopping 4 electoral votes. I've got news for people like you and this idiot, even many rural WHITE people woke up to the reality that even though they hate "niggers," and scream about Obama with their buddies, they went into that booth knowing full-well the "nigger" is less repulsive to them than that silver-spooned douchebag who they saw right through. When you get a moment, quit being such a dumbass.

• OMG, can the GOP get any more polarizing? Listen, Maine has around 15%-20% Republican registration; it is a very liberal state. Give it up you racists bastards. Personally remarks like this will set this party back 50 years if they don't wise up. Obama won, Romney lost. Get over it.

  Anonymous

• [quote]Do these assholes realize we have figured it out? We KNOW that real voter fraud occurs most often in the C.O.U.N.T.I.N.G. of ballots not in who is voting. Silly--The Republicans control the counting, so they know Democrats have to use actual voters. It's only worth deploying fraudulent vote counts when just a touch of fraud will swing the election. When the electoral vote is not close, it's too risky to use that trick.

• "I honestly assumed this must have been satire. Wow." Seriously, this reads like something The Onion would come up with to make fun of GOP racists

• This should explain the reports of hoardes of blacks voting in rural areas.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic

• I have ties to Maine and a few people have forwarded this to me. They all talked about this being yet, another, crackpot republican. I have mixed feelings but overall hope the repugs just keep digging themselves in deeper and hope they will keep running their crazy mouths. Because almost nobody believes them anymore!

• They should definitely keep saying things like this for the next four years.

• Sorry about reposting the link at R30. I've been having connectivity problems and thought it didn't take before.

• Here's what the GOP sees sitting in that empty chair, regardless of accomplishments. I always think of this scene every time I see another "conspiracy":

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D_Ki4YXMpSSY

• I hope the GOP can keep this stuff going until the next voting cycle.

• Was it silly to hope that this shit would go away?

• R36, yes, but better to be silly and optimistic about it going away than actually being one of them. The GOP and anyone carrying their water is downright repugnant and pathetic.

• The idea of sending them all "thank you" notes amuses me. The USPS needs more letters to send, so there's a plus. But yeah, I totally thought this was right out of The Onion. In fact, I think the Onion should re-post it verbatim.

• We live in times when truth and satire are sometimes indistinguishable. We had the similar reactions to the "Rick Santorum says a 'homosexual cabal' stole the election" which was indeed satire; we kinda thought it might very well be true. Sigh.

• I saw these guys on Main Street in Millinocket. I swear!

  http://soulsafari.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/xhosa-tribe-foto2.jpg

  Charlie Webster, Hatemonger

• Ok, feeding the troll here, but I wish someone would ask exactly what this guy's theory is. Obviously these people who voted were registered voters? Is he saying black people went to rural Maine and pretended to be white people registered to vote? They did this knowing that the actual people registered would never show up to vote? They did this without fear that the poll worker or other person in line wouldn't know the white person they were claiming to be so as to say "I'm sorry, but you are not Bill Smith who lives on Route 43 in Mesquanicut because I know Bill Smith and he's not you". And all because "dozens" of votes could sway the election and it would be worth committing voter fraud, in a state of a grand total of 4 (Four!) electoral votes. I am not bringing this up because I think his theory would be worthy of consideration if these problems weren't obvious - of course it's complete bullshit - I'm merely saying that logic dictates that this guy is utterly off his fucking rocker.

• Do you mind if we dance with your dates?

• Lol, R40.

• You shouldn't let black people vote.

  Allen West

• UNbelievable

• LMFAO, R34.

  *shuddering*

• All these GOPers are the same men who used to rub one out to the Ohio Players album covers.

  http://www.virginmedia.com/images/ohioplayers-honey-gal.jpg

• I will be very interested to see if this shows up on the comedy shows tonight (or even MSM.) Let's hope so.

• I'd love to hear Jon Stewart or Colbert do a spot on this.

• I know it's kind of weird but I lived in Maine and unfortunately I only saw one black person when I lived there. He was living with his white girlfriend. I did not live in one of the larger cities. I will say, the white folks are not pretty but they did vote for Obama so there must be something pretty smart about them

• Remember a few weeks ago the Republicans were claiming that Romney would come close to Obama in Maine? Romney lost by 15 points.

• It's both scary and sad that people like this still actually exist.

• agreed, r52. and so many seem to be coming out of the shadows, unhinged because Obama won a second term

• Exactly, R53. And somehow, I knew it'd be like this.

• I actually had a neighbor who made this same claim during the primary elections in 2008. She was sure there was voter fraud going on because she saw black people at the polls. I thought she was nuts - what town was she living in I wondered, cause it couldn't be the same one I was living in. In retrospect, she wanted Hillary to win the nomination - but still....

• Colored folks moving up north and voting! One day we are going to have a Niggra President. Mark my words.

• [quote]Don't forget the Fox News headline all day Election day... There's a colored man at the polling place in Florida! That's where these knuckleheads get their info and ideas. And the video showed him opening the door for old people. OMG.

• Racist white americans have no shame NOR self-awareness.

• yada, yada... we don't know any black people when they come out to vote... yada, yada... we have plenty of gay friends who don't mind when we vote against their rights... yada, yada...

  Honest%21%20