astroturf

There are many quaint and vivid expressions that have sprung out of the Free Media movement.  There's blog-whoring, trolling, doing things "for the lulz", lurking and de-lurking, speaking through a "sock-puppet", and then there's the term we're going to study tonight, "astroturfing", which is defined by Wikipedia thusly:

Astroturfing is a term for formal public relations campaigns in politics and advertising that seek to create the impression of being spontaneous, grassroots behavior. Hence the reference to AstroTurf (artificial grass) is a metaphor to indicate fake grassroots support.

The goal of such a campaign is to disguise the agenda of a client as an independent public reaction to some political entity—a politician, political group, product, service or event. Astroturfers attempt to orchestrate the actions of apparently diverse and geographically distributed individuals, by both overt ("outreach," "awareness," etc.) and covert (disinformation) means. Astroturfing may be undertaken by anything from an individual pushing their own personal agenda through to highly organised professional groups with financial backing from large corporations.

Or it may be undertaken by the Freshman Congresswoman from Minnesota's District 6.  TBogg has the dirt.

Delightfully crazy Michele Bachmann's soon-to-be-unemployed press secretary sends out an email:

Hi -

I got your name as someone who might be willing to send a letter to the editor on behalf of Michele Bachmann. If that is incorrect, please let me know and I won ‘t contact you again.

As you may have seen, Michele has been the focus of lots of media lately and most of it not friendly. We want to make sure that the media and others reading the paper get a balanced view of Michele Bachmann. Therefore, if you could take just a moment of your time to write 50 -100 words about why your support Michele that would be fantastic and I know how much she would appreciate seeing that in the paper. Below are a couple of suggestions and links to different editors. If you have any questions for me, either on information or looking for a paper’s contact info please let me know.

This is either a pathetic cry for attention or it's Bachmann's press secretary frantically looking for a sharp object to impale her career on.  Because in this instance, astroturfing isn't just acting in bad faith, it's a federal crime.

The Minnesota Monitor:

An email sent by U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., may violate federal law and House Rules.

The email from Bachmann's press secretary, Heidi Frederickson, was published on the weblog Dump Michele Bachmann.  It had been sent from Frederickson's government account. 

The email told constituents that "Michele has been the focus of lots of media lately and most of it not friendly."  The letter went on to ask constituents to "take just a moment of your time to write 50–100 words about why your support Michele," adding that the congresswoman "would appreciate seeing that in the paper."

Ooops!  

The federal law dealing with franking privileges also suggests that Frederickson's email may have run afoul of the law.  Section 3210(a)(5)(C) of the U.S. Code bars the use of congressional resources for any communication that "specifically solicits political support for the sender or any other person or any political party, or a vote or financial assistance for any candidate for any public office."

Oh, my!

But let's have a look at what Ms. Bachmann's press secretary was urging us to write our letters to the editor about, shall we?  Mr. Bogg?

Suggestions:

1) Talk about Michele as a mother (5 biological, 23 foster kids) and wife. Her devotion to her family and making Minnesota a better place.

Dude.  23 foster children?  Is she running a sweat-shop for Old Navy?!

2) Her strong fiscal conservative roots. She is a sponsor of the Line-item veto and the balanced budget amendment.

3) Her first piece of legislation is the Health Care Freedom of Choice Bill that would make all medical expenses and insurance premiums tax deductible for individuals – why haven’t the press reported on that.

Um, maybe because Ms. Bachmann is providing such an interesting side-show to the Bush administration's free-fall.  Take for instance that weird Vulcan Nerve Pinch she was doing to Chimpy after the State of the Union.  It was like she was some kind of parasitic alien life form trying to drain the Toddler in Chief's chi out through his shoulder.  Child, she latched onto him like Ann Coulter latching on to a crack pipe and looked to all comers like she'd have been perfectly happy to ride on his shoulder like a particularly gaudy parrot for the rest of the night.

Michele, honey.  Guys don't like girls who are too forward, let alone girls who embody the words "needy", "clingy", and "pathetic".

Still, with Katherine Harris and her Bust by MZM™ banished from the halls of Congress, the Republicans have an opening for the position of Hyper-Embarrassing Capitol Hill Train-Wreck, and I hear that Jean Schmidt has been having a little trouble keeping up, lately.  In fact, Miss "Cowards Cut and Run" had a particularly bad day today:

A bad day for Jean Schmidt.

Today on the Hill, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) was seen “making a spectacle of herself when the unlucky lawmaker slipped and fell in what we’re told was vomit, in a bathroom in Cannon … ‘She made THE biggest scene in the hallway,’ says a staffer who escaped the, um, regurgitation. ‘It’s literally all down her back.’”

Awwwww.  That's just awful!  Did you hear that, Christy?  One of your personal betes noires was squawking like a wet hen in the Capitol halls today because she fell down in a pool of sick and got it all over her red, white, and blue pant suit.  Isn't that terrible?  I feel so bad about it that I keep bursting into spontaneous fits of uncontrollable giggling.

Sounds like someone using the GOP's toilets today had a bit of a nervous stomach.  Well, it is the Ides of March and yon Leahy hath a lean and hungry look.  With Gonzo, Rove, and a cast of thousands looking poised to go feet-first into the big Congressional Hearing wood-chipper, I'm surprised they can eat anything at all.

Pity. 

Related posts:

  1. Will Michele Bachmann Denounce Her Son’s Entry in Obama Re-Education Camp?
  2. Michele Bachmann Opposes Public Option Because It’s “Cheaper”
  3. Mike Stark Asks Michele Bachmann About Birthers
  4. Michele Bachmann Compares Progressive Taxation to Slavery and Says Lots of Other Crazy Shit
  5. Michele Bachmann Leads Health Care Protest on Capitol; Teabaggers Arrested