RK ARCHIVE - Allen's Webb Tracker Full of Caca

I was out in the main parking lot directing people to other parking lots because the main lot was already filled. I noticed a somewhat familiar looking young man, who seemed a bit uneasy. I remembered that I'd seen this same young man out in the main lot earlier and wondered why he was still in the parking lot. So I figured I'd ask.

As I approached the man, he began to look increasingly uneasy, and I asked him if he was here to see Mr. Webb. His answer: "No. I'm here to use the bathroom."

More below the fold.
Okay, just so everybody gets the picture--- the building we're talking about, the one that houses the new Webb for Senate Regional Office, is an office building with a BANK on the first floor. Close by are gas stations, fast food restaurants, etc., all sorts of good places for a person who needs a restroom to do so quickly and discretely. And this guy says he's in the parking lot of this bank, which is now closed for business, to use the bathroom? That was an obvious lie. I was intrigued as to why he would tell me such garbage. Suspicious, I added, "You look really familiar. Have you been to any Webb events before?" His answer: a very quick "No." And then he got into his car and drove away. No more discussion with me about why he looked familiar, just a speedy exit after lurking around for quite a while.

Okay, so this little episode has been bugging me since then. I kept thinking about this person, feeling sure I'd seen him before and wondering why he was behaving so suspiciously. I felt there was an Allen connection, but I couldn't be sure. And then earlier today it hit me. I'd seen this guy's picture before on the blogs. This guy was one of Allen's Webb trackers.

Here's the guy in a picture taken by Brian Patton when this individual was filming Webb in SWVA. Obviously, he's the one on the right, holding the video camera.

Well, first that he thinks Webb supporters are really stupid. I mean, who would believe that ridiculous thing about stopping there of all places to pee? NOT.

Secondly, he's a liar. He lied straight to my face and said he'd never been at a Webb event before. I now have pictures that say differently. And from what I've heard, he's been at lots of events taping Webb.

Fourth, according to an email I just received, he works for... drumroll please... you guessed it----the Republican Party of Virginia!!!!

That's right. His name is John, he's reportedly a Field Assistant with the Republican Party of Virginia, and he just graduated in 2006 from the University of Mary Washington. Good thing he has graduated already because my guess is that Mary Washington has an honor code and lying isn't part of it.

Oh yes folks, here's more evidence of just how serious Republicans are when they talk about "Virginia Values." Hey, I've been a Virginian for over 30 years, and I didn't realize lying was a Virginia value. Thank goodness I have Republican to fill me in on this kind of thing.

So what do you guys think? Should I ask John for an apology for speaking to me like I was an imbecile with his "I'm here to use the bathroom" response? I love to know, does he consider all Democrats to be witless or just me? And if he does apologize, will he find a way to make me the villian in all this? Will he say I somehow coerced him into lying by baiting him with a question about whether he was there to see Mr. Webb? Will he find an excuse for his lying about never having been to a Webb event and then change it 4 or 5 times when each time it falls flat?

What do y'all think? I'd love to hear. I have to say that I, for one, am impressed that the Republican Party is training its operatives to lie on the job while they're still so young. This guy's just graduated from college and the entire text of his conversation with me consisted of two lies. WOW. That is impressive, isn't it? John could be a Republican Party superstar one day, don't you think?

Comments

I think its a funny story (RayH - 8/31/2006 5:10:22 PM)

But this is not a huge deal. He's just another confused young man with undeveloped social skills at work for the Republican party. I wouldn't want us to join Allen's ranks in calling out young trackers for public humiliation.

He's probably heard all kinds of wild and weird conspiracy theories over at camp Allen, and so was scared sh**less about the possibility of being found out. Allen doesn't inspire courage, you know. When I read your account, I thought that maybe he didn't make it to the bathroom in time, and didn't want you to get too close. Those Allen folks CAN come on strong sometimes, but odor isn't everything!

Maybe if you see him at another even you could discretely point out the nearest facilities.

Hmmm... (Susan Mariner - 8/31/2006 5:35:11 PM)

This story isn't the same as Allen's calling a young tracker out and publicly humiliating him based on his race. It's not even against this man's being a tracker. It's about how an employee of the Republican Party of Virginia lied to me about what he was doing in spying on Webb. That's kinda different in my book. And it was clear that I wasn't armed and dangerous. There was nobody else around to pummell the guy or anything. I'm thinking Sidarth and any other Webb volunteers would have been truthful about what they were doing. He had just as much a right to be in that parking lot as anyone else did.

So was he told to lie if someone asked him what he was doing there, or did he just decide to do it on his own? Curious.

It's true that these are different situations altogether (RayH - 8/31/2006 6:17:38 PM)

It's quite possible that the Allen campaign told their tracker to keep a low profile/avoid direct contact/don't answer any questions, etc. It's possible that he was up to no good. It's also possible that he had no idea how to respond appropriately.

I made light of it because it seemed innocent to me, but I could be all wrong. Why would a tracker hang out in the parking lot after nearly everyone had gone? Had Jim Webb left yet? Generally, I'd say follow the Golden Rule.

Situation (Susan Mariner - 8/31/2006 6:26:46 PM)

Jim was inside at that point. I was the only one outside at that time because I was helping people who arrived too late to park in the main lot find parking places. I have no idea why he was still lurking out in the parking lot. I know only the facts I've told you. It was a very strange incident, and he was definitely intentionally deceitful to me. I don't like being lied to, and there was no reason to lie from my perspective. He was in no jeopardy from me.

Did you have an (Eric - 8/31/2006 7:25:35 PM)

overwhelming urge to call him a racist name? Ha - just kidding.

We've seen the trackers around plenty and for the most part we've just ignored them. There is nothing to fear and shouldn't be anything to fear - on their part or ours.

Jim isn't going to do anything stupid like Allen did. No one is going to beat the tracker or berate the tracker. Hell, Phriendly even got a picture with the last one. We don't bite.

I'd prefer that no trackers were anywhere. But that's not an option, so we all might as well just accept the fact that we'll be "working together".

And if they want to lie and run off that's fine with me. But I'd hate to be that guy and have to explain the lack of footage to Dick Wadhams, who desperately wants to put Jim on youtube.

Funny! (Susan Mariner - 8/31/2006 8:58:09 PM)

I don't have a problem with trackers. I've spoken with a number of Allen's Webb trackers as long as they're polite. One of them was actually really nice, and we chatted for quite some time. We had some personal things in common.

I do have a problem with the Republican Party of Virginia paying someone to lie about spying on a Webb event. To me that's not right. This guy has taped Webb at numerous events in the past, including the one in the picture above. Now all of a sudden he's lurking around spying on a Webb event and lying about why he's there.

I'd like to know if the Republican Party of Virginia instructed him to lie or if he just did it on his own. And if they instructed him to spy and lie, do they have others on their payroll doing the same thing? Just curious.

Reminds me of the bumpersticker (mosquitopest - 9/2/2006 12:29:25 AM)

This young man gives truth to the bumpersticker "If you're a republican you're either stupid or rich"....chuckle

Anyway...I bet he wasn't filming b/c he didn't want to record the obvious support that Web enjoys.

I don't think he ever came upstairs ? (beachydem - 9/2/2006 9:24:23 AM)

I was at the elevator all night like a Wal-Mart greeter and do not remember him at all ! I especially made it a point to talk with people who arrived alone, since I know attending these events and not knowing a soul can be a little scary. I'm sure you've scanned your photos for other sitings, but if he didn't come upstairs, he wasn't doing his job very well either. Typical Republican...lol.

Hunter Pickels - the example (Bubby - 9/2/2006 1:16:04 PM)

This was private property, and as such, if "John" had identified himself honestly, he would have been asked to leave - just as Sidarth was turned away at Wytheville. He lied to give himself a chance, then lost his nerve. Undoubtedly he was thinking of his buddy Hunter Pickels who goes to court this month in Roanoke on charges of Trespassing-on-behalf-of-George Allen.

He looks like (Ambivalent Mumblings - 9/3/2006 12:09:25 AM)

the same guy I introduced myself to today at the rally in NOVA. He admitted there that he was a tracker for Allen.

The photo isn't too close up, so I can't be certain. But it definitely looks like the same guy.