Lamont Tracker Crashes Bru

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by Paul Bass | Jul 9, 2010 7:28 am

(11) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Campaign 2010

As Dan Malloy settled into a New Haven coffee shop to discuss his gubernatorial campaign, the word went out to his opponent’s headquarters up the block: Grab the videocam!

Steven Winter arrived on the scene, ready to record Malloy’s statements. If he had permission.

Click on the play arrow to watch his entrance, and Malloy’s reactions.

The encounter took place Thursday afternoon at Bru Cafe on Orange Street.

Malloy, who’s running in a Democratic gubernatorial primary, sat down with a cup of iced black tea to discuss his campaign in an interview with the Independent.

A young woman seated by the window was eating a wrap. It turned out she works at the headquarters of Ned Lamont, the other Democrat running in the Aug. 10 primary. The Lamont statewide headquarters is on the same block of Orange Street.

Within minutes, Winter showed up, camera at the ready. The Lamont campaign has assigned Winter, a Yale student, to follow Malloy on the campaign trail to record his public statements and actions on video. With the growing influence of Youtube on elections, trackers like Winter have become staples in political campaigns throughout the country. Click here to read Melissa Bailey’s first report on how the phenomenon surfaced at the May state Democratic convention.

Winter referred questions about his mission to the Lamont press office. However, he said he’d be willing to leave if his presence was unwanted. A Malloy staffer asked him to leave, and he did.

Malloy said he considers episodes like that one a “form of harassment.”

He said his campaign, too, dispatches a tracker to record some of Lamont’s public speeches. He claimed that unlike his campaign, the Lamont campaign has had its tracker come into his personal space while he’s shaking hands or otherwise conducting less-public interactions.

Lamont spokesman Brian Coy praised Winter’s conduct and noted that Winter left when asked.

“That exchange underscores what we’ve been saying all along. He’s very respectful,” Coy said. Winter is “keeping tabs on what people are saying in public. It’s part of a modern political campaign.”

Comments

posted by: ttagaris on July 8, 2010 2:28pm

Awkward!

posted by: Hmmm... on July 8, 2010 3:57pm

This is why decent people who would make very good managers of our public trust don’t have the stomach for politics. Who in their right mind wants their life on such public display? ...

posted by: Bruce on July 8, 2010 4:54pm

How obnoxious. This just seems like an underhanded, muck-raking campaign tactic. I don’t think this is the image Mr. Lamont is looking for. Is this really the way you want to win an election? By hoping to catch your opponent in a slip of the tongue?

posted by: AndersonScooper on July 9, 2010 12:40am

Lots of coffee shops in New Haven. It seems strange that Dan and/or Mr. Bass would pick one just five doors down from Lamont HQ. Isn’t that a little in-your-face too?

In terms of the tracker, acceptable vs.unacceptable behavior is a continuum. In this case the guy was out of line. But he did leave when confronted.

Me, I wish we could get more video of what Republicans say to each other when they think they’re he only ones in the room.—they don’t always speak in code!

posted by: William Kurtz on July 9, 2010 9:05am

What about other customers at Bru whose conversations might be recorded on Mr. Winter’s videotape? You might be able to make a case that if you’re a in a public space, you have no expectation of any kind of privacy but do people meeting for coffee really want their first date appearing on the Mr. Winter show?

Recording public speeches and campaign events is one thing. Following a candidate every place he goes and trying to capture every word he says is obnoxious and disturbing.

posted by: Louis on July 9, 2010 10:34am

Nice work Paul. You coolly turned the situation around on him. The filmer seemed awfully uncomfortable about being filmed himself.

posted by: Jeffery on July 9, 2010 11:43am

Why doesn’t Ned agree to a simple debate with Mr Malloy ?
Here’s hoping that Ned isn’t being disingenuous.

posted by: jim on July 9, 2010 2:35pm

“Following a candidate every place he goes and trying to capture every word he says is obnoxious and disturbing.”

That used to be called political reporting back when newspapers had reporters who covered campaigns.

posted by: It's come to this... on July 9, 2010 9:23pm

It is truly unfortunate that “campaigning has come to this…to believe you will “win” an election based on a verbal mis-step by someone. First of all what does that say about the candidate: that he/she has nothing substantial to say, and uses a distraction as the focus of their campaign. They SHOULD be out campaigning telling the people what their plan of action is. Secondly, I am glad that “for the most part” voters are becoming more aware and focusing on the “issues”. I guess that happens when you are’t sure you will have a job or a house tomorrow…you really focus on what really matters!

posted by: Consti2amend on July 10, 2010 1:30pm

OH BOY, Malloy!

It’s REALLY because Malloy has NOTHING NEW to say! Read some of his other “interviews”. What a joke!
TAX and SPEND!
That IS the “party line”!

Why CAN’T YOU, Malloy, come up with a plan for education, transportation, ENTITLEMENTS{!}, etc, that does NOT ADD to the TAX BURDEN?!?!

Are YOU “courting” the ENTITLEMENT VOTE?!?! Is THAT your plan??

OOOHHH Danny boy, Danny boy;
please read;
http://www.city-journal.org/html/15_3_black_family.html#

Then comment on how YOU can make a change, a REAL CHANGE! One that DOESN’T TAKE MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYER!!

posted by: CBW on August 5, 2010 9:15am

It was a TRAP!
Mr. Malloy and the Independent caught a college student doing his job for the summer.
Tracking is new territory and unless the two campaigns meet in advance and agree on ground rules then it’s a judgement call when situations like this arise.
Whose judgement could have been better? Mr. Winter’s? Maybe. But he respected the candidate’s privacy and left the cafe. Mr Malloy’s? Probably. He got some U Tube exposure and got back at Mr. Winter, a polite annoyance at most. But how will he respond to real scrutiny by the media if elected?!!

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