Election day “radio spoof” goes too far
Secretary of State Beth Chapman issued a news release today warning Madison County voters not to fall for a morning radio spoof that told voters in Senate District 7 that one candidate’s voters weren’t to turn out until Wednesday because of “expected heavy turnout.”
“This information is totally false,” said Chapman, a Republican and Alabama’s chief elections official. “The election is being conducted today and today only. There is no election being conducted on Wednesday.”
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WVNN’s morning show host, Dale Jackson, posted a fake news release from “Marion S. Barber, Secretary of Electoral Elections,” saying that people who planned to vote for Democratic candidate Hall shouldn’t come out to vote until Wednesday.
The fake release, which boasted the official state seal of Alabama, said that Hall and Sanford flipped a coin this morning and Sanford won the right to have his voters come out today.
Jackson also read the release on his radio show, but did tell people who called in having believed the story that he was just joking. He pointed out that Marion Barber is a running back for the Dallas Cowboys.
Jackson said Tuesday that if people were dumb enough to fall for his stunt and didn’t turn out to vote today, it was their own fault.
WHNT has a copy of the fake news release in question:
Where to begin? Well, this was a dumb gimmick. I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t amusing on some level, but elections in this country are pretty damn important and they shouldn’t be undermined. This certainly wasn’t the first time that such a joke was attempted. One of my favorite Alabama bloggers (who has disappeared lately) made the same joke on election eve in 2008. Dale took it too far by adding an air of legitimacy to the prank by using the state seal on the letter and fabricating a state agency.
Any possibility that this prank might have affected the outcome of the election was eviscerated by the substantial 3,000+ vote margin of victory. There is no way that many people heard Dale’s show, didn’t realize this was a joke, and sat at home.
While not an excuse, there was an amusing aspect of this joke within the context of this election. Laura Hall ran an ad including a quote from Jackson saying that Hall was relying on the stupidity of voters to elect her. Hall reinforced Jackson’s claim in the ad by taking it upon herself to define the word lemming (used in one of Jackson’s other quotes). For her to complain about the effect of this “spoof” requires her to further insult her prospective voters by asserting that they are gullible enough to believe that this would be the first election I could ever recall not occurring on Tuesday. She also had ads warning listeners to not believe the “lies” on “Republican radio.” Would she really claim that over 3,000 Democrats not only listen to “Republican radio,” but actually would fall for such a joke? She might, but it would be hard to defend.
Take-aways:
- Don’t do things that put the integrity of an election at risk – especially on election day. Play fair and square.
- Sanford whipped Hall anyway, so this unpleasant situation is of no consequence beyond serving as a lesson of what not to do.
I’m just convinced that this country no longer has a sense of humor. Everything just takes everything too literally and doesn’t think. For example, last year I played an April Fool’s joke on my blog. I created an organization at the Pentagon called the “OPSEC Coordinating Authority on Nontraditional Media” and that they were shutting down my blog. I started the prank a whole week prior to April 1st, and on April Fool’s day my readers were greeted with a “This Website Has Been Shut Down By The OPSEC Coordinating Authority on Nontraditional Media” screen. After people started calling congressman, I ended the joke earlier than anticipated and the fallout was intense! Close friends were offended. Readers felt like they could never trust me again. And on and on.
Seriously, when did we stop having fun in this country?
Believe me, I agree with you in general. Elections just need to be given a bit more reverence IMO. No do-overs.
Great way to sum up what happened.
It would be kind of fun to see Dale on trial and his whole defense be, “Laura Hall and I agree that she has stupid voters. I just proved it.”
Ha! Would be a fun trial to sit in on. Hall’s lawyers would have to spend the whole time arguing that Democrats are stupid. Probably could get some great quotes.
An incredibly stupid stunt by Dale Jackson. What should be a great day for the non-left is blemished by his stupidity.
Id Dale needs so much attention, he should buy a dag…
HPN
‘If’, not ‘Id’ – however, it could have been a Freudian slip! lol
‘Dog’, not ‘dag’ – darn it – I need spell check! (Sorry)
HPN
Why was it stupid? Because people fell for it? Or because people played victim and PRETENDED to fall for it and complained to SoS? Seriously, anyone that understands the electoral process knows you can’t separate voting dates from one party to another. Come on…
Look at our public schools. Do we really expect kids that can’t read their own high school diploma to know things like you can’t have seperate elections for each party in the general election?
Well, CJ, as I said, it was a blemish on an otherwise fine day. There was no need for his over-the-top antics, as proved by the SoS demanding that he remove the State Seal from his post. He broke the law, i.e., stupid. Good grief, I hope you can understand the rule of law?
HPN
Harry, could you please point me to the “law” that Dale Jackson violated? I fully understand the rule of law, so if you could simply point me to the law in the Alabama Code that Dale violated, I’ll shut up.
CJ: Not interested in searching the State of Alabama code for the particular law, but here is what the AG’s office said:
‘Chris Bence, spokesman for Attorney General Troy King, said Jackson could face a felony charge for using the state seal to further trade or business, a violation of state law that carries a 10-year prison sentence.’
So, according to the AG, it’s possible he committed a felony – which was stupid on his part. That’s the basis of my comment. Peace.
Yeah, didn’t think you’d be interested in searching for the truth. Let me spare you some time and effort: there is no law against it! Dale broke no law when he used the Great Seal. The only thing the Alabama Code says about the seal is this:
“The seal shall be circular, and the diameter thereof two and a quarter inches; near the edge of the circle shall be the word “Alabama,” and opposite this word, at the same distance from the edge, shall be the words, “Great Seal.” In the center of the seal there shall be a representation of a map of the state with its principal rivers. The seal shall be called the “Great Seal of the State of Alabama.” The seal shall be kept and used as required by the Constitution and laws.”
Dale didn’t violate that. Section 133 of the Alabama Constitution says only this about the seal:
“There shall be a seal of the state, which shall be used officially by the governor, and the seal now in use shall continue to be used until another shall have been adopted by the legislature. The seal shall be called ‘The Great Seal of the State of Alabama.’”
So, please tell me again how in the world Dale committed a felony without your hyperbole and political partisanship. The AG has no leg to stand on here and is just throwing out empty threats.
Let me play Devil’s advocate here. Bassed on your research of the Alabama Code, would Dale have violated the law if the seal he used wasn’t the correct size, despite being electronic?
One could probably jump to that conclusion, I suppose, but that isn’t what he’s in trouble for. No one has accused him of using the wrong size seal, just that he used it!
Didn’t think I’d be interested in searching for the truth? Screw you, loser. You’ve lost your mind speaking to me that way…
Wow, Harry. Sensitive much? I must have hit on a nerve or made you see your ignorance for what it is. You come in here saying that Dale did something “stupid” and quote an AG without backing up your argument. Then, when I do the legwork for you, you get hostile. Number #1: I don’t care to whom I’m speaking – the truth is the truth. #2: Should I be offended that some ignorant buffoon calls me a loser and wants to screw me? Well I’m not because your OPINION matters nothing to me. It’s the facts I’m concerned with, unlike you. The floor is now yours again to fully display your arrogance and hot-headed nature.
Watch how Dems respond (although the margin will mute response somewhat) to see why it was stupid. Plus, I still say you should show more respect for elections.
This whole thing makes me see more and more sense in Neal Boortz calls for a test to be able to vote! You must at least understand the process and who the candidates are. hehe. I can’t wait to hear Dale’s show tomorrow!
On a side note, I was encouraged by the outpouring of support at the arrival and funeral of SSG Hall on Sunday and today. As a Soldier, I want to personal thank the City of Huntsville for honoring a fallen hero!
Hate to see any soldier pay the ultimate sacrifice, but it is good to see them honored with respect for their service.
While I morn the death of humor in our country I think someone calling himself “the defacto leader of the GOP in North Alabama”* should realize that Republicans are held to a higher standard when it comes to this kind of stuff. (Reference Wanda Sykes wish for Rush to die or Letterman’s smears on Willow Palin – yes the 11 year old.)
A terrible joke! If I am Marion S. Barber – I would sue Dale Jackson identity thief and forgery. I voted for Paul Sanford and I just hope he won’t get harm by this careless prank. Not funny!
Levier, seriously! Should Saturday Night Live stop using the official Presidential Seal or FBI seal in their satirical pieces? Should we sue them because someone might actually believe it? It’s absurd. This was no difference except that you have no sense of humor. This country is screwed if THIS is a bigger problem than the real problems in this county and nationally!
When I heard Dale Jackson yesterday reading his press release, I thought, there he goes being dumb again. But for people to claim that they actually fell for it in mass numbers. I mean the piece was full of baloney from start to finish. “Secretary of Electoral Elections”? Come on. They cannot handle heavy turnout? All votes cast for Paul Sandford were less than 1 precinct worth of votes for Obama.
That said, he really should not have used the Great Seal of Alabama.
Now that I have offended a bunch of people, let me make one other point. How many people that voted for Laura Hall actually listen to Dale Jackson? And of those people, how many believe a word he says?
It is not only Dems who have responded to this. Danny has it that Republicans who have talked to him are upset about it, distancing the Sanford campaign from this stunt (and aware that stunts like this can take elections to court). In the Times breaking news, Philip Bryant is quoted saying: “We take this stuff kind of seriously….This is no laughing matter for anybody.”
http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2009/06/09/radio-show-host-responsible-for-fake-news-release/
Brian has it exactly right. There is a place for humor, but this went too far. Furthermore, it was politically stupid because it gives Democrats a rallying point and allows them to continuously refer to Sanford’s win as “tainted” (a laughable claim, but they will make it anyway, and the media will echo the charge).
If Dale wants to joke about Democrats being issued crayons to fill out their ballots or whatnot, that’s funny and harmless. As it is, Dale has done Paul Sanford and the state GOP a grave disservice.
When someone watches SNL – they know it’s a satire show. This is different! If Dale thinks this is a joke – why did he pulled it from the website? Dale is not running a prank show or is he? You watch – this joke is going to get ugly. BTW, I saw Dale on TV last night – now I see why he is on radio. Did you get it? Now, that’s funny.
“If Dale thinks this is a joke – why did he pulled it from the website?” Probably because ignorant morons are rampant in the district. Just my opinion, not Dale’s. I don’t speak for or on behalf of anyone and barely even represent myself well! ;)
The seal was the kicker.
Not everyone gets satire . Ask Jonathan Swift of “A modest proposal”
Eddie – Jackson pulled it from his website because he used the State Seal – turns out that is a big no-no. Also turns out that the usual remedy the SoS insists upon is to stop using the Seal – so Dale stopped.
Why would Sanford want to represent a district “rampant with morons”? As a political commentator, Jackson has performed OK and he has the only outlet in north Alabama. If his intent is/was to do political satire, he is terrible. His commentary has no credibility if his is going to intersperse veiled satire into the mix.
Well, we knew Hall supporters were not the brightest bulbs around, hence the need to define “lemmings” to her constituency. It’s also quite a stretch to give ANY of her supporters enough credit to presume that they actually listen to Talk Radio – translation, they are uninformed dolts. Combine those two + Dale’s prank and what have you got? Nothing. Not a single Hall supporter could even find WVNN on the radio or the internet. Yawn . . .