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Wikipedia Edits Forecast Romney's Vice Presidential Pick

Hugh Pickens writes writes "In 2008, as The Washington Post wrote at the time, 'just hours before [Sen. John] McCain declared his veep choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, her Wiki page saw a flurry of activity, with editors adding details about Palin's approval rating and husband's employment. ... Palin's entry was updated at least 68 times, with at least an additional 54 changes made to her entry over the preceding five days.' The obvious — in hindsight — implications of the Wiki activity: Aides were going into the entries to tune them up and clean out any material that was either embarrassing or erroneous. Now Mark Memmott writes on NPR that today's Wikipedia activity may lend a clue to Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick, expected to be announced within a few days. So what's going on now with some of those said to be among the leading possibilities to be joining Mitt Romney on the Republican ticket? On August 7, Rob Portman's Wikipedia page was revised 100 times, the Wikipedia page for Marco Rubio was revised 22 times, and the page for Tim Pawlenty was revised only 5 times. Of course, Memmott adds, somebody who knows about the 2008 Wiki tea leaves may just be messing with our minds."

17 of 300 comments (clear)

  1. Colbert! by scorp1us · · Score: 5, Funny

    He's activated the Colbert Nation to edit Wikipedia yet again on his show last night.

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  2. What? Since when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...did the GOP start believing in Wikipedia?

  3. Hmmm... by MightyMartian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Curiously, the entry for Beelzebub was edited 250 times, Quetzalcoatl 100 times and Ronald Reagan's Zombie an astonishing 345 times.

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    1. Re:Hmmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I would totally vote for any candidate who ran with Beelzebub as their running mate. He is after all the devil we know.

  4. Re:There's only one clear choice. by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Funny

    Great, now that's two missing tax returns.

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  5. Re:Entirely possible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Your theory requires careful planning AND execution of a plan by a politician. Somehow, I find myself looking for other more credible explanations.

  6. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Informative

    Tea Party supports Freedom from government and lawyers how? They are a another tool to get the useful idiots to vote in policies that hurt themselves. Ask those folks about their stance on gay marriage and watch how fast they support government intrusion into people private lives.

  7. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Reid is going down the path the birthers laid for him. I find it funny that now the republicans suddenly have a problem with people calling for what should be public records.

    It is not a good thing when either tribe does it, but this is what tribalism leads too.

    Personally the fact that investment income is taxed at such a lower rate is something the public needs to hear about. This is why you hear of CEOs taking $1 salaries, because they prefer to be paid in ways that avoid the taxes on income. Reid's current course of action is not how to have that discussion though.

  8. Re:There's only one clear choice. by inthealpine · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Reid will not comment on the matter unless he his on the floor of the Senate. This is because Reid is protected from being sued for telling a lie as long as he is on the Senate floor. You wont see him repeating his lies on the Sunday shows because he can be personally sued for making false statements.

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  9. Re:There's only one clear choice. by ElmoGonzo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm sure Reid has inside knowledge -- after all he IS a high-ranking member of the LDS Church and has many friends who would know more about the Romney situation. Obviously he can't have access to the tax returns themselves (that would be a felony) so he can't produce any "evidence" but John McCain (who HAS seen the returns from when Romney was being considered for VP in 2008) has stayed mum on the subject which strongly implies that he knows a little more than we do.

  10. Re:What? Since when... by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Good for you, now go talk to the ones holding the "Keep government out of medicare" signs about that.

    I would like to inform you that sometimes government intrusion is needed for freedom. Without government intrusion you could not own land, as I could just take it.

  11. Re:There's only one clear choice. by paiute · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So you think that Romney didn't pay ANY taxes for 10 years and the IRS just let it go?

    There are many ways to make millions and not pay taxes. You just need good lawyers and accountants.

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  12. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Monkey-Man2000 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, remember McCain saw something like 10+ years of Romney's tax returns during his vice-presidential vetting and decided that Sarah Palin was a better candidate for vice-president. Just think about that for a bit, Palin a better "heartbeat from the president" than Romney 4 yrs ago. What has Romney done since except campaign more for president and now hide his tax returns from public? I've read reports how there's a good chance that he DIDN'T pay taxes particularly in 2009 because of the stockmarket dive and even McCain hasn't seen those tax returns.

    I want to know what he's hiding personally, and I think the issue probably will "swiftboat" Romney if he doesn't go ahead and release them ASAP...

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  13. Re:There's only one clear choice. by Princeofcups · · Score: 4, Informative

    First, the political damage is not that huge. Second, it's very likely that Romney has paid little income tax, though quite large amounts of other taxes, given that most of his income is from investments, which are taxed as capital gains.

    Wrong. They never cash in their investments, so they never pay that tax. They leverage their assets for cheap loans. Jobs was a master of this, as is Ellison.

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  14. Re:What? Since when... by BenJury · · Score: 4, Informative

    There's a difference between collecting water than runs off your house and putting up a 20 foot damn to create a reservoir and stop water flowing into the local river.
    What would you do if you were down stream and your river dried up?

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  15. Re:There's only one clear choice. by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Informative

    No it lets them get paid in stock, which they use to get loans against to avoid paying taxes. It really is that simple.

  16. Re:What? Since when... by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Informative
    I wish the govt...state AND federal, would get out of the marriage business.

    What the states and feds should do, is allow for, and enforce across state lines...civil contracts..between two or more of ANY sexual preference, etc. This should be the ONLY legal binding contract there is.

    If someone in this relationships also wants the "marriage" moniker on their relationship, let them get a church to do this....but merely having a church blessed marriage, would not hold any legal binding bonds....that is the civil contract part offered by the govt.

    Let that civil contract between 2 or more people, take care of all the inheritance, insurance...etc....and that would be the same for any group of people wanting such a legal relationship, and should do away with all this controversy of marriage.

    Let's put marriage back in the church where it resides, and out of Govt hands where it causes controversy. The Govt is there to help enforce contracts...let's put the govt back to work doing what it is supposed to do in this case.

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