Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney announces funding for a voter transportation effort concieved by the progressive web blog Daily Kos
Detroit, MI (APE) - The Mitt Romney presidential campaign today announced that it would be taking the controversial move of embracing an effort by Democratic voters in Michigan affiliated with the progressive web blog Daily Kos to get out the vote for Michigan native Romney over his chief competitor for the state's presidential primary, Arizona Senator John McCain. The campaign stated that funding would be provided for Kos bloggers, known as "Kossacks", to provide transportation to and from precincts for Democratic voters wishing to cast their vote for Romney. This comes as former Michigan Gov. William Milliken announced his endorsement of McCain over Romney.
The GOTV campaign for Romney on the Daily Kos began as a posting offered somewhat in jest by site owner Marcos Moulitsas Zuniga, and has appeared to take on a life of its own. The Michigan Democratic Party had been stripped of its delegates by the National Democratic Committee as punishment for advancing the date of its primary. As a result, there are no Democratic delegates up for grabs, and none of the Democratic presidential candidates have campaigned in Michigan.
"The whole net roots concept is about enfranchising the little guy," stated Moulitsas. "We have a situation where Democrats in Michigan have been left out of the process due to the lack of participation by Democratic candidates. Fortunately there is an open primary in Michigan, and we're asking all Democrats to get out and vote for the Republican candidate we would be most likely to beat... and that's Mitt Romney."
Perhaps spurred by last-minute polling, or national coverage of the strategy on the MSNBC news show Countdown, the Romney campaign elected to go with the flow and accept the help offered by their mortal Democratic enemies.
"Are we dancing or communing with the Devil? Maybe so," stated a Romney campaign spokesperson, "but that's one of the strengths and experiences that Mitt brings to the table with his Mormonism... his comfort with and ability to do just that."