John McCain: From straight talk to organized fraud Every sophisticated campaign understands the PR power of letters to the editor. A few weeks ago, after Sarah Palin’s address to the Republican convention, the Obama campaign mobilized its supporters in Nashville. Suddenly, Scene was flush with letters from everyday Tennesseans, describing in varying detail how much Lady Palin sucks. But according to Dutch writer Margriet Oostveen, the McCain campaign has taken the tactic to a whole new level – a level usually described as “fraud.” Oostveen, who volunteered for the McCain campaign, says the former Straight Talker’s new strategy is utter fabrication. She was assigned to write letters to the editor for McCain. She could say whatever she wished, pretend to be anyone she wanted to be, so long as it advanced McCain’s cause. These letters would then be sent to campaign offices around the country, where some dupe would sign their name and mail it to a local paper. Oostveen’s story appears in Salon, along with instructional letters provided by the campaign. In the annals of pure shamelessness, this here’s a playoff contender.
