Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

It’s a different voice, but just about exactly the same script as the call from (866) 540-3140. Similar demographic questions as before too.

The only difference from the old script was that when out of boredom I lied and said I was undecided, it asked me if I had voted early by absentee and which way I was leaning. Don’t know if that’s an addition to the old script or if the new voice also asks that if you say you are voting for Obama. The robot also asked about the Senate race, but didn’t offer me the chance to be undecided.

Now that I’m undecided, perhaps the Romney campaign will now spend more money wooing me?

I called (866) 960-8263 to find out who they are. This produces “Thank you for calling Study America. We’re sorry that we missed you. All agents are unavailable at this time. Have a nice day.” Then it hangs up. That’s not identical to what I got calling the old number, but it’s similar enough.

Previously: The (866) 540-3140 Mystery (8/15/12) and “Independent Voter Research” Mystery Continues (9/12/12) and Independent Voter Research Strikes Again! (Updated) (9/20/12).

Barack Obama approved this message? Really?

President Obama is coming back to U. Miami to speak at the Bank United Center here on campus this Thurday. Doors open at 1pm, the event should start just before 3:30:

PRESIDENT OBAMA TO CAMPAIGN IN CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA

CHICAGO— On Thursday, October 11, President Obama will deliver remarks at a grassroots event in Coral Gables, Florida at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami.

While in Florida, President Obama will continue to speak directly to voters about his vision for an economy that grows from the middle out, not the top down, and discuss his detailed plan for restoring middle-class economic security by creating jobs, expanding opportunity and ensuring our economy is built to last. He will continue to underscore the clear contrast between himself and Mitt Romney, who has grown increasingly misleading in how he talks about his own plans – because he knows his policies would take us backward and are extremely unpopular with middle class families.

Actually, when you stop and think about it, what are the signature Obama domestic policy proposals for his next term? There’s an end to the Bush tax cuts for the top 4% (families with incomes over $250,000). There’s the Grand Bargain to cut Social Security, but they are not talking about that. Continue to roll out Obamacare. There are plans to spend a bit more on new energy sources, on teachers, maybe some cops. But there are actually surprisingly few Obama domestic promises for next term other than not letting Mitt Romney destroy the economy, undo health care, trash civil rights for gay people, and further inflate the defense budget beyond the high levels we already enjoy.

There is one major Obama promise on foreign policy: end the war in Afghanistan. Romney’s position appears to be that he’ll formulate a position within a 100 days of taking office.