A distressing incident has recently unfolded in Manchester, New Hampshire, where a notable Democrat has stated their intent to lodge a complaint with the state attorney general. This complaint stems from an alarming robocall that appears to discourage supporters of President Joe Biden from participating in the presidential primary held on Tuesday.
The voice in the robocall is instantly recognizable, bearing a striking resemblance to Biden himself. The message starts with a familiar phrase, “What a bunch of malarkey,” one that Biden has often used in the past. It then proceeds to urge listeners to withhold their votes for the primary, emphasizing that their impact will be far greater in the November election. The call concludes with a phone number connected to Kathy Sullivan, a former chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party who now manages a super PAC advocating for New Hampshire Democrats to write in Biden’s name during the primary.
It’s important to note that Biden’s name does not appear on Tuesday’s ballot due to the primary date being set prior to South Carolina’s contest on February 3, which serves as the inaugural sanctioned event in the 2024 nominating race under the new rules of the Democratic National Committee.
Despite this, local supporters initiated a last-minute write-in campaign to demonstrate their support for Biden and send a message to the national party about the significance of New Hampshire’s long-standing tradition of hosting the nation’s first primary.
According to Sullivan, numerous individuals who received the robocall contacted her, with one woman even claiming that she had received a call directly from Biden himself, despite not being a supporter. An organizer of the Biden write-in campaign received the call as well, recorded it, and subsequently shared it with NBC News.
The full extent of the robocall’s reach and the precise targeting criteria remain unknown. However, it is worth mentioning that lists of voter phone numbers can be easily obtained from data brokers. While the origin of the robocall remains unclear, Sullivan firmly believes that there is ill intent behind it, stating, “I want them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible because this is an attack on democracy.”
Sullivan intends to involve federal law enforcement in addition to the state attorney general’s office. Her previous experience as party chair in 2002, during which a phone-jamming campaign occurred during a fiercely contested U.S. Senate race, has reinforced her determination. During that event, two Republican officials were convicted for disrupting the Democrats’ get-out-the-vote call center operations through computer-generated phone calls.
The campaign of Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips, who challenges Biden for the nomination, expressed deep concern over the robocalls. Phillips’ spokesperson stated, “Any effort to discourage voters is disgraceful and an unacceptable affront to democracy. The potential use of AI to manipulate voters is deeply disturbing.”
The Biden campaign, not involved in the write-in campaign in New Hampshire, has not yet issued a response. Similarly, Trump’s campaign spokesperson denied any affiliation with the robocall, firmly stating, “Not us, we have nothing to do with it.”
This incident serves as a reminder that malicious actors can exploit technological advancements to manipulate voters and undermine the democratic process. As vigilant citizens, we must remain cautious and inform ourselves about such incidents to protect the integrity of our elections.
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