Obama has suspicious number of letter-writing fans named 'Ellie Li

[Shady]

Obama has suspicious number of letter-writing fans named 'Ellie Light'

“It’s time for Americans to realize that governing is hard work, and that a president can’t just wave a magic wand and fix everything,” said a letter from alleged Philadelphian Ellie Light, that was published in the Jan. 19 edition of The Philadelphia Daily News.

...

A letter from Light in the Jan. 20 edition of the San Francisco Examiner concluded with an identical sentence, but with an address for Light all the way across the country in Daly City, California.

...

Variations of Light’s letter ran in Ohio’s Mansfield News Journal on Jan. 13, with Light claiming an address in Mansfield.

...

in New Mexico’s Ruidoso News on Jan. 12, claiming an address in Three Rivers.

...

in South Carolina’s The Sun News on Jan. 18, claiming an address in Myrtle Beach.

...

and in the Daily News Leader of Staunton, Virginia on Jan. 15, claiming an address in Waynesboro. Her publications list includes other papers in Ohio, West Virginia, Maine, Michigan, Iowa, Pennsylvania and California, all claiming separate addresses.

Link

They made not have a clue when it comes to economics, but when it comes to politics and propaganda, they're head and shoulders above most White House operations. My hats off to Mr. Axelrod and the rest of the gang.

[William Ashley]

Maybe she is wealthy.

[Moonlight Graham]

hard to say what this is. Interesting article though Shady. It could be a letter-writer simply emailing her letter to a bunch of newspapers across the country and changing her address on the email so she would printed in that city's paper. And ya it could be some propaganda machine doing it too.

It's impossible to say (without more evidence) that this was done by the white house. it could have been done by anybody. Maybe some pro-Obama fan or group. Who knows.

[Guest American Woman]

It's impossible to say (without more evidence) that this was done by the white house.

Without "more" evidence implies that there's 'some' evidence, which there isn't. There is no evidence at all that this was done by the White House.

So it's not only impossible to say, it's ridiculous to say that this was done by the White House; to claim it was is just more partisan mud slinging.

That whoever did this used the same name in all of the letters is pretty bizarre/stupid, really, as they were smart enough to change the address. And it was even published in the Bangkok Post. I guess it kind of shows that media outlets publish letters without any background checks.

Maybe some pro-Obama fan or group. Who knows.

Or maybe just the opposite since it's not resulting in positive press for Obama. Or maybe someone just seeing if they could get the same letter published in numerous media outlets.

It's as you said: who knows? But of course there are plenty of people rushing to point a finger and proclaim guilt. I won't mention any names, but one of those people has started 54 negative threads about Obama in this forum to date.

[BubberMiley]

I won't mention any names, but one of those people has started 54 negative threads about Obama in this forum to date.

Certainly there have been more than 54, but each one has been a classic, side-splitting example of deranged poor-loserdom. Keep it up, Shady! Start more threads about how you think people should be raped!

[Shady]

it's ridiculous to say that this was done by the White House

So it's ridiculous to even suggest that this was done by the White House? So, is this just an immense coincidence?

Obama confidant's spine-chilling proposal

"In 2008, while at Harvard Law School, Sunstein co-wrote a truly pernicious paper proposing that the U.S. Government employ teams of covert agents and pseudo-"independent" advocates to "cognitively infiltrate" online groups and websites -- as well as other activist groups -- which advocate views that Sunstein deems "false conspiracy theories" about the Government. This would be designed to increase citizens' faith in government officials"

Link

* Cass Sunstein is currently the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration *

[Born Free]

So it's ridiculous to even suggest that this was done by the White House? So, is this just an immense coincidence?

Obama confidant's spine-chilling proposal

"In 2008, while at Harvard Law School, Sunstein co-wrote a truly pernicious paper proposing that the U.S. Government employ teams of covert agents and pseudo-"independent" advocates to "cognitively infiltrate" online groups and websites -- as well as other activist groups -- which advocate views that Sunstein deems "false conspiracy theories" about the Government. This would be designed to increase citizens' faith in government officials"

Link

* Cass Sunstein is currently the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration *

What's the lesson to be learned here?

We all know that Rush Limburger's talk radio show is nothing less than a GOP activist thug/shill with a gazillion believers. We all know that the Tea Party Patriots were organized by GOP shills spreading a boatload of misinformation and disinformation.

[Guest American Woman]

So it's ridiculous to even suggest that this was done by the White House?

Suggesting it as a possibility and saying it's so are two very different things, which I'm sure you're well aware of. Didn't stop you from saying it though, did it?

So, is this just an immense coincidence?

Could easily be. Or it could be someone playing on that, purposely doing it, trying to make it appear as if the White House did it in order to make them look bad. Whoever it is didn't change their name, even though they were smart enough to change their address. Makes me wonder why that is.

[kimmy]

My suspicion: lone zealous Obama supporter. If this were part of some Orwellian master plan to shape public opinion, I think it would have been done a little more intelligently.

-k

[Born Free]

My suspicion: lone zealous Obama supporter. If this were part of some Orwellian master plan to shape public opinion, I think it would have been done a little more intelligently.

-k

Its being done today. Example, Fox news and Rush Limburger.

[Shady]

This is unbelievable!!!

Who is Mark Spivey? I know only this: that he is the author of this pro-Obama letter that has appeared in numerous publications:

A recent Associated Press article stated that President Barack Obama’s hesitancy on the Afghan war buildup implies weakness.

I wish world leaders had more of that kind of weakness. Clearly, Obama does not want to send soldiers into harm’s way without a clear goal, a solid plan and an exit strategy, three aspects sorely missing from former President George W. Bush’s military ventures.

I know that we Americans are used to presidents who play cowboy, who say things like “bring ’em on” and “mission accomplished” without a second thought; presidents who send Americans into battle on falsified weapons reports.

But it seems our current president understands that you don’t send soldiers into battle without first nailing down what they’re supposed to be doing, and why.

So hats off to Obama’s “hesitation.” Soldiers are human beings, not chess pieces. It’s about time we get a president who understands that.

— Mark Spivey

The letter has appeared — at a minimum! — at The Minnesota Daily, at the Baltimore Chronicle (on the same page as Ellie Light’s letter!), at the San Diego Union-Tribune (where he claims to be from San Diego), at the Naples News (where he claims to be from Naples, Florida), and at Buzzflash.com.

Also: Ed Morrissey forwarded me an e-mail he received from Ellie Light several days ago. The mail appears to have been routed through the IP address 212.24.236.50, which comes back to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia??

I assume this is some sort of masking or spoofing device and not the actual location of “Ellie Light.” Which makes you wonder: why does a grandma writing letters on behalf of Obama use an IP spoofer?

Finally, the latest count for Ellie Light’s letter. It has appeared in at least 62 publications in 29 states and the District of Columbia; national publications and a Yahoo link; and 2 foreign publications.

Not bad for a single individual. Just think of how many rejects she got.

Link

Move over Richard Nixon! There's a new king in town!

[BubberMiley]

Do you see pro-Obama or anti-Obama messages in your corn flakes?

Edited January 24, 2010 by BubberMiley

[Moonlight Graham]

My suspicion: lone zealous Obama supporter. If this were part of some Orwellian master plan to shape public opinion, I think it would have been done a little more intelligently.

Agreed. The name likely would have been changed, and the letters completely reworded but saying similar things.

Who knows, there's not much of a bone to chew on here so it's all speculation.

[jbg]

They made not have a clue when it comes to economics, but when it comes to politics and propaganda, they're head and shoulders above most White House operations. My hats off to Mr. Axelrod and the rest of the gang.

A real song and dance man.

[BubberMiley]

A real song and dance man.

Actually, Shady's just the song; you're more the dance.

[Shady]

This story is going viral on the web, probably will hit some mainstream media tomorrow!

Still More Astroturfing: Gloria Elle and Jan Chen Write the Same Anti-Republican, Pro-Obama Letter; UPDATED: Two More Pairings Found; UPDATED AGAIN: Four Pairings Total, and One Is a Triplet!; UPDATED AGAIN with Countless Other Examples

Link

[BubberMiley]

I'm worried you might have gone over the edge to completely delusional.

[Michael Hardner]

So it's ridiculous to even suggest that this was done by the White House? So, is this just an immense coincidence?

What's ridiculous is to suggest that this practice isn't ever done by all sides - legally and illegally.

[Pliny]

What's ridiculous is to suggest that this practice isn't ever done by all sides - legally and illegally.

About Time for it to end. Doncha think?

[BubberMiley]

About Time for it to end. Doncha think?

Seeing as this is the only place I've heard of it, I don't think it ever started.

And, of course, there's still no evidence (even circumstantial) that it was instigated by the White House.

THere are the truths based on facts, and there are the Shady truths based on wish fulfillment.

[Michael Hardner]

About Time for it to end. Doncha think?

And how would that happen ?

[BubberMiley]

This thread still makes me happy.

I can just imagine Obama, having achieved the title of POTUS, now the most powerful man in the world launching a diabolical scheme to control the minds of the populous by writing letters to the editor, each one strangely similar to the last, and all signed by the same mysterious hand. It's so eeeeevil it just might work!

[antipolitico]

Obama has suspicious number of letter-writing fans named 'Ellie Light'

“It’s time for Americans to realize that governing is hard work, and that a president can’t just wave a magic wand and fix everything,” said a letter from alleged Philadelphian Ellie Light, that was published in the Jan. 19 edition of The Philadelphia Daily News.

...

A letter from Light in the Jan. 20 edition of the San Francisco Examiner concluded with an identical sentence, but with an address for Light all the way across the country in Daly City, California.

...

Variations of Light’s letter ran in Ohio’s Mansfield News Journal on Jan. 13, with Light claiming an address in Mansfield.

...

in New Mexico’s Ruidoso News on Jan. 12, claiming an address in Three Rivers.

...

in South Carolina’s The Sun News on Jan. 18, claiming an address in Myrtle Beach.

...

and in the Daily News Leader of Staunton, Virginia on Jan. 15, claiming an address in Waynesboro. Her publications list includes other papers in Ohio, West Virginia, Maine, Michigan, Iowa, Pennsylvania and California, all claiming separate addresses.

Link

They made not have a clue when it comes to economics, but when it comes to politics and propaganda, they're head and shoulders above most White House operations. My hats off to Mr. Axelrod and the rest of the gang.

Anyone who does not understand the spin doctoring that takes place in the world of politics, would not concern themselves with this matter. Is it ethical if it is taking place. No. Is it misleading? Yes. Does it make much of a difference in a country that has a population 12 times greater than Canada's. The answer is you would have to write one heck of a lot of letters before it did and by then his term in office would likely be over.

[Pliny]

And how would that happen ?

Public scrutiny. Political transparency and accountability.

This would be easier achieved if government also didn't have their finger in every pie.

[Michael Hardner]

Public scrutiny. Political transparency and accountability.

This would be easier achieved if government also didn't have their finger in every pie.

You're right, except that the public doesn't care. I submit the following aside - the Ontario eHealth scandal as evidence:

- The Liberals promised waiting list monitoring and improvements

- eHealth was a debacle from start to finish

- nobody cared until somebody charged the province for their tea and muffin

- now that that died down people went back to not caring

The Liberals have mismanaged waiting lists. We still don't have regular and accurate reports on how long it takes to get procedures, sit in an ER etc.. let alone real-time information.

You would think that service levels for healthcare - arguably the most important service managed and effectively delivered by the government - would warrant some interest or concern by people but because the discussions are not framed to address this issue it falls between the cracks.

We could blame the Liberals for lack of leadership, but Liberals don't lead - they follow, so it's on us to raise the profile of these things.

So it is with campaign contributions and campaigns too.