Michelle Malkin » Middle Eastern election observers in Nevada?

Middle Eastern election observers in Nevada?

By Michelle Malkin • January 19, 2008 01:55 PM

How interesting. The State Department apparently sponsored the travel and expenses of a Middle Eastern delegation of election observers who are monitoring the Nevada caucuses today (via the Reno Gazette Journal; hat tip – reader Tamar):

“It’s a great turnout. I’m tickled to death,” said Reno Mayor Bob Cashell. “It’s been real good for people to get exposure to the national candidates. I’m still not sure if a caucus or a primary would be better but this is an impressive turnout.”
By 9:40, the caucus-goers were electing delegates to represent the local part at the national GOP convention and then they were going to take a non-binding straw poll on the candidates.

There is a group of observers from the Middle East that was following the action. The 9-person delegation was sponsored by the U.S. State Department and came from such countries as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq and United Arab Emirates.

Here’s a flashback assessment from foreign observers who watched the 2004 general election.

I’m sure the Middle Eastern delegation will be just as…”helpful.”

Posted in: 2008 campaign

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#221944

On January 19th, 2008 at 2:11 pm, crashemt said:

Great idea. Allow those who desire to learn see the free discussion amongst the Caucus format. This is true American politics. Free speech and open debate to determine who we want to represent our party’s beliefs in the national election. Remove the “popularity party” of current politics, and actually debate issues and positions.

No wonder the ~~Clintons~~ ~~Democrats~~ politicians hate the caucus system!
#221948

On January 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pm, blacktygrrrr said:

We should just ban them from visiting altogether. They visited Florida, and learned how to fly planes into towers.

The day before 9/11, they were in the casinos with hookers.

Election monitoring my rumpus.

Somebody check the casino videotapes and see what they were really doing.

Some will consider this profiling. Yes, it is. I didn’t consent to be bombed. Keep them and their blood money out of our Casinos and the country altogether until they cooperate in the War on Terror.

Respectfully,

eric http://www.blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com
#221966

On January 19th, 2008 at 2:48 pm, brooklyn red said:

On the other hand, now these guys get to what grass roots look like so they can crush it quickly when they see it… not sure if that is a bad thing considering the local gentry.
#221978

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:03 pm, see-dubya said:

At first I thought this was going to be about election monitors–like the U.N. sent to “monitor” our election in 2004.

But “observers” sounds nice. I’m not sure if I would pick Reno as the first place to send observers from conservative Muslim countries if I were trying to impress them…

…then again, what happens in Reno stays in Reno, and maybe they’ll go home talking about Democracy, Whiskey, Sexy.
#221979

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:05 pm, baldilocks said:

It’s good for such people to see how it’s done…not that they’ll be able to copy it, or want to.

What’s needed is a delegation of African observers: Kenyan, Sudanese, Zimbabwean, Congolese.

Yes, I’m dreaming.
#221984

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:12 pm, zorro said:

Brigalia Bam, the chairwoman of the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa, is another election observer. She said she is “disturbed” that seven U.S. states strip convicted felons of their voting rights for life.

“I think this is a concern, very much, considering that the United States is one of the countries that have the oldest democracies in the world, a country of freedom, and I never realized that such restrictions [existed there] that unfortunately lead to subcategories of citizens,” Bam said.

Although old news, I would have told Ms. Bam to think of this as an incentive not to commit serious crime.
#221985

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:15 pm, brooklyn red said:

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:05 pm, baldilocks said:
It’s good for such people to see how it’s done…not that they’ll be able to copy it, or want to.

I think it’s more like now they can see how our system works so they can more effectively use their front groups to influence it.
#221989

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:20 pm, Miss Ladybug said:

Except now there are rumors/claims of voter suppression on the Dem side of things there in Nevada…
#221991

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:21 pm, Miss Ladybug said:

But remember, most states do primaries, not caucuses, BR #6
#221997

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:40 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

Except now there are rumors/claims of voter suppression on the Dem side of things there in Nevada…

I heard Billy boy complain about that about 1/2 hour ago on Fox. Yeah, what a hypocrite. As IF they didn’t try to do the same by suing to get caucusing stopped in casinos? What do they call that?

I suppose if Hillbillary wins, then Billy boy will just say…”nevermind”
#222010

On January 19th, 2008 at 3:54 pm, Blind_Mule said:

Speaking from Wales, Jones said the United States may be unique in the world for permitting political partisans to run election infrastructures in states.

“We believe partisan oversight and administration of elections is not the international norm, as it builds in the possibility for perception of conflict of interest,” Jones said. “The delegation recommends that states establish independent and impartial bodies to administer, oversee, and certify elections.”

Brigalia Bam, the chairwoman of the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa, is another election observer. She said she is “disturbed” that seven U.S. states strip convicted felons of their voting rights for life.

Oh, so there coming in to critique our system not learn from it. I see we should have system’s like their’s, we can all see what that’s done for them, Socialized medicine, Political Correctnes, Populism Yada Yada Yada. WOW! I think we should take their advice and have them run our election’s and let all the felon’s vote to. Pfffft!
#222023

On January 19th, 2008 at 4:08 pm, Boomer said:

I was hoping they might be able to help identify the rampant voter fraud going on in this country for the Democrat party. Looks like they (i.e., Brigalia Bam) are more concerned with the rights of convicted criminals instead of illegal invaders voting or the dead coming back to life every election day.
#222025

On January 19th, 2008 at 4:10 pm, brooklyn red said:

Hmmmm, maybe we should let felon’s vote… after all we do let them hold office.
#222029

On January 19th, 2008 at 4:13 pm, SHoward said:

I guess there wouldn’t be any need for election monitoring or ‘observing’ as long as we make the correct choices, like Gore in 2000 or Kerry in 2004.

/sarc off
#222058

On January 19th, 2008 at 5:30 pm, blues said:

Great,our tax money going to pay for trip to Reno for a bunch of half-human savages to meet and greet more politicians they can buy off.Who gives a rat’s butt what any other country thinks of our electoral process,anyway.As far as Miss Bam-Bam is concerned,she isn’t intelligent enough to realize that keeping felons out of the democratic process is one of the reasons we have “one of the oldest Democracies”.Like the Liberals who couldn’t understand how we lowered the crime rate,by putting more people in prison.Send the foreigners back and give me a free vacation to Reno.
#222084

On January 19th, 2008 at 6:23 pm, meatpieandtatters said:

Nothing like a little Islamophobia to keep the voter disenfranchisement wonks stirring?
#222094

On January 19th, 2008 at 6:37 pm, DBNinKY said:

“The 9-person delegation…came from such countries as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq and United Arab Emirates.”

Welcome, friends and loved ones! Said DBNinKY, in a sarcastic tone matching that of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy.
#222130

On January 19th, 2008 at 7:37 pm, crashemt said:

Umm….How can there be “voter disenfranchisement” when there was no vote? Smells like the Democrats are crying Fire!!! when there’s not even a sign of smoke…..

Romney claims 53% of the Nevada vote. Can somebody buy these presidential moron-idates a clue? There was no vote, only consensus. Your “vote” in caucus states come when the selected state party delegates go to the convention.

I think it’s funny that the Democrats are claiming disenfranchisement in Nevada.

Trivia question: Who fixed the votes in Nevada, Texas, and Illinois by having the dead vote in a national election in 1960?

Now you know why the Democrats hate the caucus format, and Voter ID. How else could you stuff the ballots using local cemetaries (or illegal aliens)?

Don’t believe me? Ask what senior and english impaired voters were told in the 2000 election while being driven to the Florida polls: Check the second line. The problem was, on the infamous Butterfly ballot, the second chit (first line on the right page) was for Buchanan. The third chit (second line on the left page) was for Gore.

Time to end the fear-mongering and ballot-stuffing illegal practices, and give the voice back to tax-paying US Citizens.
#222343

On January 19th, 2008 at 11:40 pm, nbarry said:

Getting lectured on free elections by these “observers” is like getting a navigation lesson from the captain of the Titanic.
#222607

On January 20th, 2008 at 4:56 pm, Bhishma said:

Doesn’t America seem more and more like Saudi Arabia.. kinda like Kingdom of America with King Bush as the head of the kingdom?