Jessica Vanden Berg

There is a story up where Webb campaign manager Jessica Vanden Berg claims they controlled macaca and only notified the bloggers after the Washington Post published it.  How is this possible since it showed up here 24 hours before the Post covered it.  Is Vanden Berg a total liar? 

I guess it's time to tell the real story and how Vanden Berg totally mishandled it and almost threw the scandal that won the election away.

More to come...

SHOCKING UPDATE: Shaun Kenney has released a very damaging story about the Webb campaign.  If true I am appalled.

UPDATE #2-  I've been speaking with sources tonight- and this appears to have some truth behind it, although I can't yet confirm the breadth of the story...

UPDATE #3- I'll have more information nailed down in the morning.

Comments

I have a feeling the shit is about to hit the fan...

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

No, even worse. God help us, but I foresee a Ben Tribbett Ego Stroke!

[Rowhey]

Does anyone really believe that the Webb campaign didn't push this story?

They would have been negligent in their duties not to.

I think the issue here is that NLS got the story BEFORE the Post reported. Part of the Post's reasoning in reporting it was that "on a popular Virginia blog, Sen. Allen was seen" ... giving the story legs, legitimzing it, and making it appear that the Webb folks were not behind this.

Would the story have been picked up in the Post in Vanden Berg just pushed the story on her own? I'm not sure they would have.

[Terry]

Soo, just wondering, if this is true, how come you are claiming that the Webb campaign 'fed' you nothing??

Like I said on Mason Conservative, I know someone who worked on the Webb campaign for the last 2 months, and from what I understand, you were telling the truth (about getting nothing from the campaign).....?....

[JPTERP]

Vanden Berg is greatly understating the role the Allen campaign had in keeping this story alive. Public Relations Damage Control 101 textbooks have a new case study that they can use for purpose of illustration for years to come.

The Webb campaigns role in this was not insignificant--and I do give them credit for doing some coordination with new and traditional media. But you simply can't understate the utter boneheadedness of Allen's actions, or that of his campaign.

The story said it appeared on the Post ONline Edition first.

Obviously it was on this blog before the print edition. The question is, did it appear on WaPo ONLINE first or this blog?

Obviously it was on this blog before the print edition.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Look at my link and what order the Post story came in it. Those updates were over the course of an ENTIRE DAY.

[phriendlyjaime]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...I find this interesting. Unbeknownst to all but Thadd and another blogger, I was on the phone with Ben on Sunday night before the story and video broke. I knew about the story at that point. It was early, maybe 7 or so.

The WaPo played a huge art in the scandal, it gave a blog story credibility, sure; but the attention it got HERE was much bigger.

10!

I know it is early, but this is going to be a big thread :)

[JPTERP]

Anon 4:29 PM--I am 100% sure that the Post ran the story because of the story's content, not because of a blog helped to legitimize the story (a 2008 presidential contender points into camera and belittle a 20 year old constituent with bullying language that contains racist overtones--AND it's all done tape! That's definitely news).

NLS, helped to build up anticipation for the video the night before with bloggers; and I think he helped play a role in creating a quick dissemination of the YouTube clip. The YouTube story became another angle to this story as well.

[Rowhey]

I have no doubt that Ben had this story before the WashPo. What I find amusing, however, is that a Webb staffer is now quoted as saying the Webb campaign was pushing this story. If my memory serves me correctly, the Webb campaign mouthpiece, Ms. Denny, was on the record stating that the Webb campaign was not pushing the story.

Someone is lying here. Was it Ms. Vander Berg or Ms. Denny?

[JPTERP]

The Washington Post and NLS launched the Allen video clip nearly simultaneously on their sites.

NLS had the first "tease" about a big story, and the following morning he recap of the event.

The Post had the first quotes from Dick Wadhams.

I think the Post gave the story a degree of credibility that played a role in local TV and cable TV coverage, and MSM coverage in general later in the day.

The blog, internet angle was just one of the quirks of the story that gave journalists another interesting angle to pay attention to.

[JPTERP]

Rowhey, the Webb campaign was not pushing the weeklong coverage. It was pretty clear that they had a role in breaking the initial story.

Allen's campaign provided the fuel for the remaining days of coverage. I think anyone in PR would understand that Allen's troubles were compounded 1000% by his campaign.

Contrast this with the way that Allen's campaign handled the "Jewish heritage" story a month later. Much better damage control. The story was basically gone from the headlines within close to 72 hours.

Throughout the fall campaign it didn't help that Allen the candidate kept making inappropriate statements whenever he was off script.

[Rowhey]

JPTERP,
I agree with you on all counts.

I only point out to diametrically opposing statements -- those of Ms. Denny and those of Ms. Vander Berg.

Both statements cannot be facially true. If one is correct, the other is a lie.

Which one is it? I want to know how you feel about it because I don't honestly know.

[The Richmond Democrat]

Obviously the campaign provided the video (and the volunteer who captured the video). But putting trackers on your opponent is hardly an original idea. Putting the video on YouTube was another obvious step.

The WaPo was very helpful in introducing the story to the mainstream news cycle.

But let's face it folks, this would not have become "viral" were it not for NLS.

Further, the talking points being "fed" to bloggers by the Webb campaign were not that pivotal. After July I mostly stopped using them--I found I could write much better on my own.

Oh well, it's like a friend of mine always says: success has a thousand mothers.

[James Young]

To answer your question, yes.

[Harry Landers]

"It's surprising how much you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit."

Abraham Lincoln

[JPTERP]

Rowhey, if you agree with me on all counts, then you have the answer to your question in the first two sentences.

Question: Was the Webb campaign pushing the Macaca story in the press turning it in to a week long story?

Answer: No.

Question: Did the Webb campaign bring this story to the attention of local media initial?

Answer: Yes, obviously.

The statements are easily reconcilable.

If you're looking for a case of lying by omission, a much more obvious and clear-cut example would be the media strategy of the U.S. president who once said: "We do not torture".

What? I thought Jessica forgave the blogs for winning the primary in spite of her sluggish self.

This doesn't seem to be generating quite the degree of 'outrage' you might've hoped for, does it Ben?

Perhaps you should step it up a notch and take on Jarding.

[Interested Observer]

well, aren't we a self-centered little person? Oh, I guess that is what blogging is all about....

[Terry]

So what, from what I am hearing, this is becoming more and more of a common practice. Furthermore, why WOULDN'T a campaign want to know everything they could about people who may have an influence on the campaign.

[Kenton Ngo]

I am appalled, APPALLED that the Webb campaign has no file on me. :P

[MC]

Does this mean we can call him "Tail-Gunner Jim?"

You mean to tell me that Webb camp couldnt afford to buy yard signs but could afford opp research on bloggers???

[James Young]

If true, and if I made the cut (which I doubt), I suspect that the investigator assigned to me was very bored.

On the other hand, I have no trouble believing this, after the sleaziness of the Webb campaign.

[James Young]

If true, and if I made the cut (which I doubt), I suspect that the investigator assigned to me was very bored.

On the other hand, I have no trouble believing this, after the sleaziness of the Webb campaign.

[republitarian]

I made the cut!!!!!!!1

[Victory_for_MSM]

Judging from the hilariously tepid response thus far, it appears that:

a. No one wants to defend Jessica Vanden Berg.

b. No one wants to defend Ben Tribbett.

c. Regardless, there's a new Democrat from Virginia serving in the U.S. Senate.

d. Bloggers are having difficulty owning up to their own futility

Who says there's no such thing as justice?

But please, Ben, regale us with the tale of how you single-handedly took back the Senate...

[phriendlyjaime]

Well, at least my file (which I am sure there wasn't one) is entertaining. I've gotten too crazy before, too many times.

Here's my thing; I totally understand profiling people you pay. I DON'T understand NOR DO I CONDONE profiling volunteers. They should be thanked instead.

[The Richmond Democrat]

Actually, if nothing else, this suggests that campaigns will have take us seriously.

[The Richmond Democrat]

. . . and ARE taking us seriously.

[James Young]

Actually, if true, a serious question is raised as to whether Webb should resign, or be expelled from the Senate.

http://www.clark04.com/press/release/217/

Jessica was the Oklahoma State Director for Wes Clark? Wonder if any of them have anything to say...

[Doug]

Wow, my ever spiraling boredom since November 8 has now hit rock bottom. This strikes me just a bit as egotistical horse sh**, but hey what's wrong with that?

Where is the post or release from the Webb campaign that went after a blogger source of something? Really, that's basic that you have to go back to his site and blog and do a search on it. I have no idea and am so freaking bored I couldn't even do the searches, but who's going to go do it?

I'm not saying, I'm just saying...

Lots of bad things were said about Webb (and Allen) on blogs. Where were the background attacks on those bloggers? That's what I want to see.

[Doug]

Oh, and James Young, you are hilarious and ridiculous. Ok, you've bitten, you go here and find the attacks:

http://www.webbforsenate.org/blog/

[phriendlyjaime]

Oh for Christ's sake, James, why don't you ALSO talk about how thrilled you are that Senator Johnson is in the hosptial, you sicko...

You are the defintion of sore loser. This has nothing to do with Jim webb, so can it. This seems to be alegations concerning his campaign staff, a staff I don't expect to see in full come January.

So go suck George Allen's toe and cry if you want, but can it with your assanine comments.

[Doug]

Jaime! Toe sucking! You brought me back from a cough syrup induced coma.

Not too many weeks, what like 35, til the OSU championship game.

[phriendlyjaime]

woooooooooHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

O-H!!!!!!!

[charles]

Let the record show that it was phriendlyJaime who first used the words "thrilled" with "Senator Johnson is in the Hospital".

Lest someone accuse those of us on the right for doing it later, when we make the mistake of commenting about what PJ said.

[Doug]

I O

[Doug]

Watch it Charles, or I'll bring up Mary Cheney, then we can talk about her miraculous conception.

[phriendlyjaime]

I was speaking to mr. Young, charles. But go ahead and quote me commenting on NLS, and then block out the pertinent words on your "blog"...bc THAT'S responsible and credible.

[Greg L]

Looks to me like Jessica Vanden Berg is interested in burnishing her credentials at the expense of anyone else who might otherwise share the stage with her. Not an uncommon occurrence after a successful campaign, as folks struggle to seize the credit for the win.

I wonder how much help she can expect from blogger allies in the future if she keeps up with this stupidity. I'll bet not that much.

Yawn.
A lightweight who works for a lightweight putting in a lightweight's performance.

[Adam Sharp]

What, no toupees?

Yawn.
A lightweight who works for a lightweight putting in a lightweight's performance.

Posted by: | December 13, 2006 at 10:49 PM

Yup. Except Jim Webb ain't no lightweight.

[James Young]

That's pretty pathetic, Jaime. Perhaps you ought to try reading what I actually wrote (in comments only). Foretunately, I'm not the kind of low-life that thinks that way. But you go right ahead. Par for the course.

[phriendlyjaime]

James, you want Jim Webb to resign for VanDenBerg's supposed actions. Get a frickin' grip already.

WE WON. YOU LOST. MOVE ON.

Oh, and also a. get over yourself, and b. get off your high horse.

We all appreciate it, thanks.

[MC]

I can just imagine how you would be reacting, phriendlyjaime, if the story was exactly the same but the words "Jim" and "Webb" with "George" and "Allen." But i guess its not that hard to imagine.

[phriendlyjaime]

Oooooooooooo, it's attack Jaime time. Should be hilarious.

[phriendlyjaime]

It'll only be complete if Jane shows up at 2:30 am to give me her opinion.

Have you even read all of my comments here? I doubt it. It's not hard; just a few scrolls and you're there. If you HAD, you would have seen that I condone this behavior in certain circumstances. In most instances, I do not.

But hey; you can ignore the subject of discussion if you wish. I expect nothing less.

[Terry]

"I can just imagine how you would be reacting, phriendlyjaime, if the story was exactly the same but the words "Jim" and "Webb" with "George" and "Allen." But i guess its not that hard to imagine."

Like I've said already, THIS IS A NON STORY. I would bet you the Allen campaign did a similar "study" on bloggers. This has become generally a common practice within campaigns (and WHY shouldn't it!?). I'm not going to type it all out here though, again, go read my post if you wish. All the blogosphere is doing is attacking people for recognizing the significant part it plays in politics...which is kind of stupid.

[phriendlyjaime]

Again, you could just scroll up...but, maybe you choose not to.

[Jambon]

What I'd really like to know is if Steve Jarding had pre-written press releases going after the bloggers.

Can you imagine?

"While Jim Webb was dodging bullets and landmines in the jungles of Vietnam, Lowell Feld was nothing but a blatocyst in his mamas cha cha trying to type out another lame blog."

[The Richmond Democrat]

James Young gets it completely wrong (as usual).

Greg L. gets it exactly right.

I LOVE when phriendlyjaime chimes in incessantly and everyone completely disregards her. Can't we make this standard practice? I mean, she sounds like a ridiculous South Park caricature of a liberal already, why not jut let her run wild?

Please, God, let her call me a neocon! Just for irony's sake!

[kathy]

Terry, I don't need to go into nasty details to explain why I at least see this as an interesting development (as opposed to a non-story). I was rather involved in the research end of things relative to the campaign, a fact that admittedly influences my perspective on this matter. At a few critical points in time, research was simply not happening otherwise to my satisfaction, or certain points I wanted to make were not particularly appropriate for the campaign to make itself. With a few exceptions, I worked autonomously, and some of the reasons for doing so would probably be surprising.

Nevertheless, should it turn out to be true that volunteer bloggers were indeed the target of oppo research, then the upshot is that while I was staying up night after night trying to scratch out real work for free, the actual dollars I contributed, however few they were, helped pay someone to investigate my blog friends. Yes, the research picked up down the road, but that does not negate this argument in the least.

Bloggers have options and choices about the conditions under which they expend their assets going forward, and if this oppo research thing turns out to be true, a modification of the ground rules may evolve sooner rather than later. My guess is that the campaign workers will find it necessary to make substantive changes with bloggers only making minor adjustments if any.

That takes us back to Jessica. In her view as reflected in the article, it is perfectly fine to take from bloggers and use bloggers, and non-blogging volunteers for that matter, while attributing all credit and ingenuity to herself. Bloggers that are comfortable with that structure are welcome to work with her in the future. For what it's worth, RK did run a diary devoted to thanking Jessica for her contribution.

[kathy]

phriendlyjaime - you know I am not disregarding you :)

ok let me get this straight we are arguing about who broke the story? well the webb camapign broke it and used NLS and WPO. Look real campaign people love this blog shit. We can feed you all kinds of shit and you will print it. Rumor inuendo lies. You guys will run any bs we give you. get ready because we are going to use you and abuse the concept of free speech like like hell.

[Terry]

Yawn! Kathy, I hope you've made note of how long "More later..........." has been the final word on Shaun's blog...while we all sit and wait for him to prove it.

[kathy]

You've made it pretty clear that you believe that this is a non-story because you believe it's SOP, etc.

Actually I half agree with that, because I don't think it matters much whether it's true or not.

But I am interested in game rules for weighting trustworthiness of friendlies anyway, and this isn't a bad example. It's easy enough to eliminate altogether but there's some cost involved.

If this is true - Where is exactly is that line in the sand with regard to researching blog commenters? Letter to the editor writers? Door-to-door volunteers? All are speaking in favor of a candidate while advocating their positions and "disparaging" the opponent.

[demavatar]

It seems that Jessica V. has learned the second most important campaign lesson, which says the most important day is the day after the election. The first lesson is that it's always better to be lucky than good.I hope Jessica V. gets Allen a big xmas gift because she owes him big time! Does anyone who has ever been to the rodeo before think that George Allen lost on macaca alone, and not the +4 mil the dscc dumped into ads the last 4 weeks? Jessica was lucky in that she managed the 2nd worst campaign in virginia political history.

[cheap jewelry]

Thanks for your share,thanks a lot.Good luck!