National Journal Picks up Newsday Article about This Blog

April 24, 2007
BELTWAY BLOGROLL

'The Blog War In New York'

Last year's election saw the emergence of local blogs that targeted specific members of Congress or promoted favored candidates -- sites like Dump Mike Ferguson that lobbed attack after attack against the Republican incumbent of that name in New Jersey, or like LamontBlog in Connecticut that touted Democrat Ned Lamont in his intraparty bid to unseat Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

Such blogs were relatively rare last year, but there already are signs that they will be far more common in 2008. The latest evidence is a Newsday article focused on "the blog war in New York" alone.

For now, Democrats, who always seem to be five online steps ahead of Republicans, are on the offensive. The piece noted blogs that target GOP Reps. Peter King (Peter King Watch) and Vito Fossella (Veto Vito). There also are blogs aimed at Nassau Legislature Minority Leader Peter Schmitt (Peter Schmitt Watch), also a Republican, and the Nassau GOP (Nassau GOP Watch).

The advantage has local Republican worried. "Readers should consider proper defenses," Scott Scala told his audience at the New York GOP-oriented blog Urban Elephants. "Pro-candidate blogs? Anti-Dem elected officials blogs? Counter posts? Etc. We cannot lose the blog war in New York."

Posted by Danny | 12:11 PM

This Site in Newsday Today

If you're visiting from the Newsday mention, welcome and look around a bit. We have an archive full of stuff.

Here's the story from Newsday...
LI's Partisan Blogosphere

Say it five times fast. Partisan bloggers are blogging on the bloggings of other bloggers — and Long Island is the battlefield.

“Urban Elephants” is a New York City Republican-oriented Web site. A recent post expresses concern about “energetic liberal bloggers setting up space on line targeting specific Republican elected leaders,” that is, “blogs dedicated solely to one person.”
As examples, Elephants’ Scott Scala cites Democrat-oriented sites that target Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), Nassau Legislature Minority Leader Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), the Nassau GOP — all of a piece. Another such site, called “Veto Vito,” whacks Staten Island Rep. Vito Fossella, the five boroughs’ only Republican Congressman.

“Now this does not necessarily mean such easily-set up sites can make an impact,” Scala writes, but “the larger media loves fights... A one-person crusade against one politician has the potential to become Cindy Sheehan-ized in the wrong hands.”

“Readers should consider proper defenses,” he adds. “Pro-candidate blogs? Anti-Dem elected officials blogs? Counter posts? Etc. We cannot lose the blog war in New York.”

At his “Peter Schmitt Watch,” John Rennhack of North Massapequa blogged: “I guess this post from Urban Elephants is flattering...Urban Elephants is well-written (not that we agree with the writing) and thoughtful.” Rennhack also does “Nassau GOP Watch” and “Peter King Watch.”

One-time candidate Rennhack even responded last year to a “Watch” site targeting King’s challenger, Legis. David Mejias, by creating “Mejias Watch Watch.”

Recent fare on the “Nassau GOP Watch” included a link to the New York Observer “Politicker” site video of GOP state and county leader Joseph Mondello saying of Gov. Eliot Spitzer: “He will self-destruct. You give it a little bit of time.” “GOP Watch” snaps: “So the plan is to wait patiently for Governor Spitzer to `self-destruct,’...Brilliant strategist.”

One recent “Urban Elephants” link, meanwhile, raps Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola) as having been unable in an interview to define a key term in her own anti-gun bill.

UPDATE: Also part of the scene we're describing is another pro-Democrat site, Nasty Letters, which also whacks King...

Dan Janison"

UPDATE: Video of 1-800-Hot-Schmitt Ch. 11 Story

From CW News at 10..



FYI. 1-800-Hot-Schmitt is an actual sex chat line. I used it as a joke but it is a real number.
Don't call it looking to get in contact with Peter Schmitt. Unless that's what you want to call the person on the other end of the line. To each his/her own I guess.

CW Ch. 11 News at 10 Covers 1-800-Hot-Schmitt

The Phone Sex Chat Line story isn't dying down with just a Newsday story. CW News at 10 (Ch.11) did a story Wednesday night on the phone number mistake.
Schmitt who would call a press conference if Suozzi colored outside of the lines was "unavailable for comment." This is a guy who has no other job than the part-time Legislature job.
So the republicans use Ed "$80,000/year part-time" Ward to come up with an excuse.
It was just all one big 50,000 piece mailing oopsie.
Nothing to see here, move along.
Dave Mejias got some face time correctly pointing out that there should have been a check before the mailing went out. And he said this mistake is coming from Schmitt, the man who wants to run the legislature.
Some of the "man (or woman) on the street" interviews weren't very positive for Schmitt and the republicans.
I'm going to try to get the video of the segment.

1-800-Hot-Schmitt

According to Newsday, a mailing sent by the republican legislators about sex offenders directed constituents to call a phone sex line.

"Nassau County Legislator Peter J. Schmitt wants you to be protected from sexual predators," said the headline on the postcard his office mailed in cooperation with Parents for Megan's Law, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of sex abuse.
Unfortunately, the 1-800 number printed on the card prompts callers to another 800-number -- a sex chat line.
"Hey there, sexy guy," says the sultry recorded female voice that answers the phone. "Welcome to an exciting new way to go live, one on one, with hot horny girls waiting right now to talk to you."
Republican spokesman Ed Ward acknowledged, "Apparently there was an error in the phone number."
Instead of 1-800, it should have been 1-888, he explained. Ward said he didn't know who made the error or how it was made."

UPDATE: WCBS-TV picked up the story http://wcbstv.com/local/local_story_108064518.html