Her phone was clearly bieng bugged.

What an outrage!

by Rolland Miller (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 227 comments [78 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:16:04 PM

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Of course Cindy Sheehan's phone is bugged.  She is probably subject to daily sneek-and-peek by the NSA and FBI.  Every electronic communication she makes is being reviewed.

This was amature.  Probably somebody from Pelosi's office who was doing it freelance to try and look good with the boss, not appreciating that Nancy could just call up NSA or FBI and ask for whatever she wanted.

And Cindy KNOWS she is under 24/7 watch, and probably her closest friends and family and advisors as well.

Cindy Sheehan represents THE ENEMY to the Rethuglicans entrenched in power.  She is one of the most dangerous people on the planet to them.  Which is why WE must support her any way we can.  Not because she is perfect, but because THEY hate and fear her.

by Charlie L (2 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 747 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:36:39 PM

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If it was governmental, it would've been done electronically for the phone.  If it was to "get" the room, however, that would've involved a device.

So what we have here is either (a) a third party attempt to bug her or (b) the gummint wanting her non-electronic communications on record, as well.

The bug's probably behind or under the nightstand or inside the wall plate for the phone/ethernet jack.

Remember: this is the sort of thing Karl Rove was doing waaaaaay back when Dear Leader was still only screwing up Texas.

by Bob Kincaid (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 47 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:48:19 PM

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Comment from Ratings:   After Reading this article, I acknowledge that there are many people out there that are not for people who speak their minds. I know this by what I have seen in the past. I would just go on and speak my mind, but do it with a strong voice and with much thought. Hooray for mothers whose sons have given up their lives for the living! I Love Cindy!

by nestacal (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 39 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:39:46 PM

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I'm quite certain Cindy is, and has been, surveilled.

I rather doubt, however, that it was her phone.  That's all software now and there's no need to do it mechanically.

If there was any bugging going on, it was in the room itself, for the stuff that DOESN'T go over the phone lines.  The screwdriver was "cover."  She's got a "hot" room.

by Bob Kincaid (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 47 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:39:48 PM

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for a person to do it mechanically because they have that skill, i.e. what about if it is just plain EASIER to scotch tape in a small listening device, rather than bother with software alterations that might involve more people and more interventions into pseudo-secure software systems.

To put a minature recorder in a phone requires one person to access one room. No collaborators necessary. Hard to get much simpler than that. Sometimes simplicity IS elegance.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:23:12 PM

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identification? In open societies accountability is supposed to be mutual - yet so often people forget that.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:51:29 PM

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just fixing the phone. And in part that is Cindy's fault for not asking the right question. Even if the guy was bugging Cindy's phone it is still on her that she did not ask him for identification. Is it understandable that she didn't? Yes, of course. But it is NOT commendable in someone running for public office. Cindy didn't effectively TEST the guy's story in real time, she just assumed and collected (useless) evidence that fitted her prejudiced assumption. Similarly when Obama is running for President his credentials aren't tested by progressives - commitments aren't demanded, rather it is assumed (on blind naive hope and optimism) that he will of course be better than McCain and it is assumed that he won't give commitments like NOT to pardon war criminals.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:06:16 PM

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About a month ago I didn't hang my telephone up properly and my sister in NYC couldn't contact me. She got desparate and called the Winterthur police who came around to the house to check if I was OK since I'm 82 and have been a widower for the past 18 months and am now living alone. Since then I've been calling her every Saturday between 8 & 8:30 am NY time just to keep her mind at rest. This last call she told me that strange men had been around asking questions about her and what she does. I'm afraid I've gotten this 67 year old violinist onto some terrorist list. After all it is a well known fact that Dutch Schultz & Co carried their tommy guns around in violin cases and she was born and raised in Brooklyn - a suspicious fact in itself. What a bitter joke! The country has gone insane - absolutely paranoid. A prime job for a new administration: -SANITY. Switzerland

by Arthur M. Howard-Scotoni (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 40 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 12:54:30 PM

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Comment from Ratings:   The business as usual from those long time elected officials needs to come to an end. The Constitution has been shredded and the constituents have been ignored. This has to stop and the constitution has to be followed as it is the law of the land.

by Mel Smith (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments [21 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:09:59 PM

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Too bad Cindy did not trouble to look for genuine evidence, let alone bring in an expert who could tell her whether the phone had been bugged.  Grow up, Cindy & Rob -- this is not news!

by Michael Green (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 10 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:22:09 PM

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.

Is it broken? Does it contain any parts that could be repaired with a screw driver? 

Was the guy wearing gloves when he handled it or are his fingerprints on it?

There is evidence there aplenty.  The question is what Cindy wants to do about it. 

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:08:31 PM

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That would be the first thing I would have wanted from him.

Yes, it was to bug the room. They could easily bug the phone. And if the phone was "broken" they wouldn't bring a screwdriver...what was he going to do? Rewire the circuits in the phone with his screwdriver?

xo

Cindy

by Cindy Sheehan (58 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 24 comments [12 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:25:04 PM

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he ran out before i could ask for id

          That would be the first thing I would have wanted from him.

    But with respect (really, I like you, and I am grateful for your challenge of Pelosi), according to the story Rob tells, it wasn't the first thing you asked.  In Rob's account you accused him of bugging immediately. An accusation like that would make a real repair man act nervous and perhaps guilty.  

Yes, it was to bug the room. They could easily bug the phone. And if the phone was "broken" they wouldn't bring a screwdriver...what was he going to do? Rewire the circuits in the phone with his screwdriver?

    I can think of a couple of uses a screw driver could be put used to repair a faulty phone - depending on the model of the handset and base. A screw driver might be used as a sort of hardened thumbnail to jimmy open snap together parts or to remove a potentially faulty clip in cable. 

The circuit board inside the handset might be attached by a screws to a plastic base.  

But this doesn't matter. If you saw the guy, you know what he looks like and you know he was in your room at a specific time. Perhaps the hotel has security cameras? There would certainly be things that you could do to get some accountability for their being someone in your room. 

You could, if you choose to, still follow up on this and get some accountability. If its worth it.

Maybe, it isn't. Perhaps it might be best to simply assume your whereabouts and conversation are sufficiently interesting in terms of your potential nuisance value and embarassment value to Pelosi that someone might perhaps even without her knowledge or consent might want to give her intel on what you are doing. It might be as simple as that.

Being sceptical by nature I sometimes wonder if the authors posting to this forum like yourself (like Conyers and Kucinich and Wexler sometimes) are actually posting on their own behalf or whether, rather, they are putting peices together and having supporters disseminate them wherever they can get a hearing. This matters because if the authors aren't reading the comments then the comments are probably wasted.

So, to you, thank you for your enormous efforts. I can't vote for you (I'm not American) but I appreciate your personal stand and your challenge to Pelosi. 

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:54:46 PM

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You were probably right not to question too much, as the guy was armed with a screwdriver. Although it means that you get the sceptics later, it's better than a funeral because you got too nosy at the wrong time, I am assuming you were alone. Having been in maintenance of hotel telephone systems for many years, I can assume the guy was up to no good, as a replacement phone costs a few dollars, whereas a maintenance call to repair same costs much more. Hotels would normally carry spare telephones to replace in guests rooms, trying to repair it in the room is a no-no. It was definitely amatuer night, but it seems that a staff member may have been involved, judging by the strange answers you got. A spate of problems on telephones normally means an extension card fault, rather than individual phones going faulty all at once, so this would be repaired at the system, not in the guests' rooms. Sticking a bug in a phone is usually to pick up room conversation as well as phone conversation, is done with a wireless transmitter, & under normal circumstances, is picked up by a receiver within a mile radius. With a hotel it is more than likely that the eavesdropper was staying in a room close by, for sound quality. The equipment can be bought in any 'Spy Shop'. There are much more sophisticated methods used by 'legal' tappers, who would have made sure not to be caught.

I suggest you ask for proof of phone fault, there should be a record book kept by the phone maintenance people, use your legal team to do this, & check for continuation of fault reports on the sheets. Find the reception person who said that there was a problem, & report them, this is a trust thing & the hotel should be blacklisted until all the info comes out satisfactorily. Go for it & best of luck.

by murfinsurfin (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:58:17 PM

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All special agents probably carry one to help keep their frontal lobes connected.

Don't let them bug you.

 xoxo

by Elizabeth Ferrari (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 81 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:39:21 PM

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I'm not a Sheehan fan nor am I a Pelosi fan, but this is the United States of America, not Communist China or Russia. It's time to turn the tide on this country and force our government back to following the Constitution of the United States. Whether I agree with Sheehan or Pelosi's stand in politics or not, I still think that they should have the freedom to say and do what is allowed under that constitution without any government intervention.

by Jay Timmins (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 113 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:30:40 PM

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Well, if you were in Denver this week, you'd know its time to turn back a lot of things.

Thanks to our lovely Democrat mayor, we've got surveilence cameras on what seems like every other light pole.  And it looks like freaking police state here with all the police in riot gear on every other corner.  I rode through downtown Denver the other night, just checking out what was going on.  And on what seemed like every street intersection of the 16th St pedestrian mall there were squads of 10 or so riot police in full riot gear.  And city trucks driving around with more squads of 10 or so riot police in full riot gear standing on the running boards.

All of this apparently so that no Democrat has to be bothered by even the squeak of a protester when they are going into their fancy fundraisers that they've paid thousands of dollars to attend.

Sorry, but this Cindy Sheehan story fits the pattern of what else is going on in this Democrat town to a tee.

And note, if it was really a hotel employee, they would most likely have been volunteering to show ID to a guest.  And, the interview doesn't mention whether the person was dressed in a uniform that clearly identified them as a hotel employee with their name on their uniform.  And for most hotels these days, they know their guests are concerned enough about their personal security where they often have their own ID badge and the legitimate hotel employees don't have any problems showing that do you. 

They certainly wouldn't run away from a quest who just surprised them in their room.

by Samson (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 49 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 at 8:30:09 AM

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I often read the OEN bcause I am a committed and proud liberal. So I was intrigued by the story of the man with a screwdriver working on the phone in Cindy Sheehan's hotel room. In spite of the fact that the only thing we know is that a man was caught with a screwdriver in the room, I am not so naive that I would discount speculation of foul play. However, I think you need to exercise some caution in using leading and misleading statements such as, "I asked her, 'Do you think it was Pelosi's people?'" Just because you are anti-Pelosi doesn't mean you should stoop to that kind of journalism. I am disappointed with Pelosi's leadership, too, but by making that sort of statement you implied that she was behind this alledged bugging with virtually no evidence of it. This is, or course, your forum but please don't go Fox News on those of us who want factual reporting from the left.

by pthompson100 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:36:11 PM

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Excuse me, but if I didn't ask that question I wouldn't be doing my job. Too many TV journalist fail to ask what are obvious questions like mine.

Cindy gave an appropriate answer.

If you look at motive, a Pelosi connection has to rank high, even if Nancy herself had nothing to do with it. But you are right. I used to think a lot of Pelosi, but now, I see her as a failure who has refused to do her job and protect the constitution.  

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:46:55 PM

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what Charlie L. said (above). Totally spot on. BTW, old-fashioned bugs implanted in telephones = museum  pieces. Today, it's done remotely. Yip.

by Tony Forest (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 166 diaries, 1429 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:36:56 PM

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my guess is that if there was a bug involved it was not bugging the phone line - which most know would be done remotely. i think what we're talking about here is bugging the room. hence, cindy putting the phone in the fridge - so that conversations in the room would not be overheard not a phone conversation. i think she gets that.

that said, i would be more inclined if i were to speculate that it had to do with squashing dissent in denver rather than "pelosi's people." someone was probably hoping to hear what plans were in store for demonstrations.

by Cheryl Biren-Wright (30 articles, 42 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 485 comments [8 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:48:44 PM

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that's what they do here .......that @ so-and-so thingy. I copy.

On my recent trip "back home" I spent a number of nights in motel rooms, alone. Bugging never was on my mind but my total consience said "you are being watched" - "your every move is being recorded". I had nothing (well, maybe a bit) to hide so I felt at ease with the feeling.....a bit like Winston in 1984. I had it on my mind so, in return, I was alert.

Cindy is another story. Cindy can expect all kinds of things to happen. It may have been an intentional intimidation or a forewarning of things to come. My advise in this case would be : get security / hire someone.

by Tony Forest (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 166 diaries, 1429 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:27:20 PM

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don't let them intimidate you. Be strong and keep your focus. Don't let paranioa take over but do be super-alert. A fine line to walk. Get support for the future and do be very very careful who you choose. Nobody at all may be better than somebody you cannot fully trust. Don't give up. That's their goal. Don't be afraid. Think LOVE. Damn, I wished I knew a better way to advise. If I were there, I would protect. Where's OEN's Kevin ?!

by Tony Forest (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 166 diaries, 1429 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:36:02 PM

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You know, I was thinking it as Pelosi connected, but your observation makes a lot more sense. The Denver cops are in manic overdrive, with their gestapo holding pens and massive police turnout. I bet they see Cindy as a dangerous ringleader.

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:02:15 PM

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the non-impeachment hearings and got herself evicted (Conyers was really left with no choice), Cindy acts a bit more like a stereotypic rabble rowser rather than a more 'collected' person of similar convictions.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:35:24 PM

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for saying "thank you".

And she was a lot more polite at that whole farce than I would have been.

But by all means, let's make excuses for the complicit and denigrate the rabble who want accountability from their government.

Go, USA!

by Elizabeth Ferrari (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 81 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:46:37 PM

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it puts a drain on the system and forces your opponents to spend their time and attention on your issue. Getting arrested for civil disobedience when the cause is genuinely just (and more serious than the minor wrong of civil disobedience), is noble.

But in the non-impeachment hearings Conyers, as Chair, had an obligation to uphold Congressional standards detailied in the House Rules and he was constantly reminded of that obligation by the Republicans in the non-impeachment hearings. He gave at least three general warnings to everyone in the sessions before evicting Cindy in particular because Cindy in particular didn't take heed of the warnings.  Cindy didn't achieve anything for impeachment by getting herself evicted - on that point her emotions seem to have run ahead of her head.  The attention of every member of the House Judiciary Committee should have been on the speakers not on the guests.  The guests behaved like they were at a football match. Cheering Bugliosi didn't add one iota of impact to Bugliosis testimony but in a way it almost made it like the home team had scored or something else of similar insignificance.  

I make no excuse for Conyers otherwise. He swore an oath to defend the constitution against domestic enemies.  His performance in a key position as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has been underwhelming as has Pelosi's as Speaker, but so too has been that of the American citizen.

And in the end the duty to the world to stop torturers and war criminals operating against the rest of the world against our common values and in breach of our common treaties from the White House sheets all the way down to the American citizen unless you don't have a representative government because at some point you gave it up.

To check members of the United States executive government absent the support of US citizens foreigners have only unlawful means at their disposal.

The American citizen can stop torture and war crimes done in their name if it is important enough to them to do so. And if they don't then that they didn't is on them.

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 4:46:43 PM

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in the presence of torturers and their enablers.

The House is the people's House. It isn't the Vatican.  And considering Congress has a 98.6 return rate because they are funded by lobbyists,  I support anyone who finds a way to get attention.

 You go, my sister.

by Elizabeth Ferrari (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 81 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 6:36:34 PM

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BUT, that is because I didn't finish the Master program. However, this "phone man" wasn't "fixing" the phone IMHO. He wasn't "bugging" the phone either IMHO.

Cindy, be cautious and careful. You are on candid camera but there is no "joke" about any of it. Furthermore, Martin Luther King Jr was phone tapped and surveillanced no doubt, the reports tell us today (Recall, they claimed he was a commie). So the best we can hope for is that someday, Cindy will have a national holiday declared in her name. Ok, seriously, they were probably planting the dot and you threw them off with the change of the room.
I am sure I am surveillanced. I have US Special Forces leaving their "calling card" on my door and I am a nobody. It is definitely scary times for ppl who speak out. Walk softly but carry a big stick, eh?

CINDY KICK NANCY'S BUTT!!

As always, thank you Rob for your article, a wake up call we all probably need re-enforced from time to time.

by shirley reese (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 592 comments [98 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:46:06 PM

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But in order to do this (inline power tromboning) you must have access to the switch at the local POP.  If this was in fact an attempt to bug the room it was done by someone who is not privy to the spying powers of the federal government or the telephone companies.  Or maybe someone who wanted it done via outside contract so to maintain plausible deniability.  Furthermore, hotels do not maintain their own phone systems.  These phone systems are usually maintained by an outside vendor and tech dispatches are extreamly rare and usually only involve the PBX/gateway on prem, never individual phones which are usually replaced at any sign of trouble with spares kept by hotel managment.

by erik mouse (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 106 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:50:02 PM

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I believe it's fair for soemone like Cindy to act on the assumption that (unless she's taken extraordinay measures) she has no privacy.

On one level, that's OK.  Her agenda is 100% legal, constitutional, pro American.   She has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

On the contrary, Cindy Sheehan is doing what every single one of us....what every single American should be doing; and that's devoting our life's energies to changing the corrupt status quo.

When there are 50 MILLION Cindy Sheehans the "revolution" will be over.  (Hell, 50 Thousand may be enough ;-).

Nick Lento

The more things change, the more they remain the same...

click here

by Nick Lento (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 1:58:35 PM

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cindy....if you're still reading...

perhaps your staff should demand documentation about the "work." since you said the desk backed up your "visitor's" story about phone problems, it seems to me that if it wre legit they would have had to write up an invoice or work order of some sort, it would have to state what the "problem" was.

a work order would indicate the person/company that responded to the problem. it would be interesting to see if they could produce something like that.

if not, that's a story that could easily go mainstream. if they do produce something then one could follow-up to see if the guy 'servicing' the phone was working for the hotel, the phone company, etc. Again, if that doesn't pass the sniff test then you have even more credibility to your statement and it ought to be made available to the press in denver.

get the name (if you don't have already) of the person at the desk. if don't have it the time of your call would indicate who was working then.

document, document, document.

best to you cindy.

by Cheryl Biren-Wright (30 articles, 42 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 485 comments [8 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:02:14 PM

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Cindy might do well to make a big deal out of this if for no other reason by drawing attention to it, it may draw them off further attempts of this kind.

by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 4:19:57 PM

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There should be a maintenance request or trouble ticket.

by John Kusumi (53 articles, 0 quicklinks, 32 diaries, 107 comments [8 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 8:25:19 PM

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When the Republicans bugged the DNC under Nixon he had to resign.  If Nancy Pelosi or the DLC is behind bugging Cindy, those responsible must resign.  If it's a rerun of Watergate by the Administration, they must be impeached and removed.

by Joel Myron (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 13 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:04:22 PM

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Comment from Ratings:   This is outragrous but no surprising that Cindy has had to fight this crap. This is why I am putting my money where my mouth is and sending her what I can. I believe we need to support groundswells of grassroots politicians. We have got to turn this political climate around with independent thinkers who are NOT influenced but anyone but her constituents! You go Cindy!

by And the beat goes on (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 9 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:11:41 PM

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Political conventions should not bring out long spy story capers. But there is nothing we haven't studied before when they called the Watergate breakin a caper. Before it was over the whole intelligence community was up for some comeuppance. And, as was written then, FBI and their big brothers were involved in both the antiwar and civil rights movements. We should not be surprised that such could occur in the late stage of the current misbegotten incursion.

Forces against a constructive society can easily start working for devious tricks. So! Who dunnit?

We don't know who the man is, who sent him, what motives lead to his being there. To OEN's credit, it is not running scared.

However--and there is always a however. Part of what is different between this and when Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office was bugged is the very sophistication of electronic devices and the number of people who understand their uses, for good or bad.

Cindy doesn't need me to tell her that she is a bit of a lightning rod and that she has to be well grounded. So I stop on that note.

The other "however." When two teams are in mortal combat for the gold medal--call them the Red and the Blue--we must be aware of how the "honorable opponent" loves when the home team becomes outraged. This incident is much bigger than Cindy and Nancy in it's possible ramifications. What should our team take from this?

by Margaret Bassett (45 articles, 2909 quicklinks, 42 diaries, 1852 comments [99 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:22:15 PM

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She walked into her open hotel room to confront who?  Did she have any idea?  And she just automatically suspects someone is bugging her phone?  And the front desk was in on it?  Why?  If they were, would they not have alerted the "operative" in the room?  Was a police report filed?  I would bet your next paycheck the answer to that question is, "No".

And she's being surveilled?  While camping outside the president's house?  No kidding, Sherlock.  I wonder how long it took her to figure that out?

This entire charade is...well... a charade.  But good luck with it.

by Joe Reeser (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 62 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 2:51:54 PM

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Cindy is a huge threat to establishment politicians and they fear being upstaged. Of course they were spying on her.

Never mind that party officials are openly negotiating how they will pander to Clinton supporters and all of us as they manufacture unity as part of the really big shew coming up tomorrow.

Political theater has overtaken the last bit of substance in our national discourse.

Be careful, Cindy.

by Kathlyn Stone (46 articles, 227 quicklinks, 27 diaries, 690 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:02:06 PM

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Maybe FBI involvement but most likely not. It's the DPD(Denv Police dept) and cops are clumsy at this spying sh*t. Cops aren't trained in security spying devices for the most part. FBI agents are but Bush just sent a bill through granting state and local monies for surveillance equipment for local PD's. Our cops are having a frenzy with the planes (like drones).  It ain't Einstein to figure out that DPD thunks they can do this under "fighting terrorists".

Tables will turn hopefully some day but until then.

If it isn't the DPD then it's the crazy repubs...dey be dumb and clumsy as well. Legally, as someone stated, they have to notify you in order to enter your room. What happened was you threw the DPD a curve ball when you changed rooms. I suggest you change rooms often and always and keep throwing those curveballs...can you say musical rooms?

It sux being on the Terrorist Watch list with Ted Kennedy, eh?

by shirley reese (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 592 comments [98 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:40:33 PM

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I have some suggestions for Cindy.

1) Always have someone different register a room for you and don't use the campaign credit card. Pay cash when you check in even if reserved on a friend's card. Alternativly go ahead and register  then switch rooms with someone you know there.

2) Don't use the inhouse phone. Unplug it. If it won't unplug, pull the cord out of the wall and explain when you leave that you tripped over the cord...sorry!

3) Even if you talk to someone from inside your room on your cell phone, make sure you have a radio on pretty loud in the back round.  Better yet...just make it a habit to not talk to anyone while in your room.  Go out into a public area and don't use the same public area more than one time.

4) When you notice capitol police etc. Graciously thank them for the extra protection and insist they not let you out of their sight!

5) Wear a tee-shirt saying "Watch what you say...I'm being bugged"

by Paul Kruger (39 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 304 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:53:30 PM

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A handy little tool can be a frequency scanner.  Any bug has to do one of two things.  Transmit or record.  Record isn't very useful in a spot like this because they'd have to retrieve it to listen to what was recorded.  So, the bug has to be transmitting.  A frequency scanner device can spot those transmissions.

by Samson (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 49 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 at 8:35:07 AM

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an OEN reader posted a reference to this article. the kiddies at Dkos, as usual, got pretty nasty to Cindy. Not all. There are plenty of good folks there. But as usual, the little nasties got their licks in.

Here at dailykos

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 3:58:03 PM

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If I didn't know better I would have thought it was FreeRepublic.

by Kathlyn Stone (46 articles, 227 quicklinks, 27 diaries, 690 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 6:19:28 PM

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What's the difference?

And I mean that quite seriously?  When it comes to tolerate any dissent or any challenge to their two-party monopoly, there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans.

Mention 'Nader' or 'the Green Party' or 'Cindy Sheehan' to any Democrat, and just sit back and watch the hatred and the ugliness spew forth. 

Its a wonderful way to reveal the true character of the Democrats.  Just read those comments and ask yourself if that is a political movement that you want in any way to be associated with.

The Democrats like to act like they are somehow better than the Republicans, but scratch the surface and you quickly find they are all pretty much the same.

by Samson (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 49 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 at 8:38:27 AM

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What does Daily Kos have against you? Some of their remarks were downright malicious. I guess that sometimes being on the cutting edge is more like the bleeding edge. Just ask Jesus, Ghandi, MLK, & John Lennon to name a few.

by Cinderfella (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 248 comments [95 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 at 1:12:33 AM

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Well ever since the Cheney episode I just assume every phone call I make is bugged. Anyway the telecom's have been granted license by Bush, Pelosi et al to listen in to every phone call made within the USA.  So what is really sad is that the vast majority of Americans don't get the fact that BIG BROTHER IS HERE AND NOW! 

*Besides all of that anyone who hangs out with Hugo Chavez should assume that their every move is monitored.

by Ben Marble, M.D. (23 articles, 0 quicklinks, 230 diaries, 349 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 4:10:07 PM

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.. they go straight for your cell, even when it's turned off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muBzQs9GuHg 

(heaps of other links on that - google search it.)

by Aurora (0 articles, 95 quicklinks, 52 diaries, 648 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 4:27:44 PM

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..yet no one is held accountable.

Just like our government!

by LanceThruster (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 4:34:52 PM

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.. of inviting her trailers for coffee.

Who knows - they are real people too - maybe they secretly on her side..
(There's a vid out there where some of the 9/11 protesters were apprehended, then started talking to a couple of the cops, who began agreeing with them, and let them go.)

Perhaps anyone talking privately to Cindy from now on should preface their comments with,  "Hey Guys!  How y'all going?  You're welcome to join us in this."  

oh well..

by Aurora (0 articles, 95 quicklinks, 52 diaries, 648 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 5:11:35 PM

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What she should have done is had him arrested or the hotel owner....her failure to do this is another example of the failure of american politics.

by brian (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 148 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 5:33:17 PM

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NOT to be bugged by these fascists. It should be a badge of honor for patriots just as being on Richard Nixon's infamous "Enemies List" once was.

Screw flag swaddled, cross-bearing fascism! It's time to banish this most anti-American strain of neocon Nazism from our country once and for all.

EE

by Ed Encho (12 articles, 20 quicklinks, 65 diaries, 438 comments [14 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 5:47:36 PM

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I'm concerned about more than Cindy being bugged.  With the epidemic of very convenient "suicides"in this country lately, I think someone as outspoken about the atrocities of our government as  Cindy should be protected by a posse of armed guards on duty 24/7.

by jersey girl (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1201 comments [734 recommended, 12 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 7:31:12 PM

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There is no question that it was a bug, because i have stayed in over a thousand hotels over the years on biz; and they would NEVER work on a phone. As was said already, they would simply change it... After you walked down to the desk to complain first (...and apparently the phone still worked). 

It was not the FBI, NSA, some obscure form of military intel, the CIA... or a man from U.N.C.L.E. ... Because they are professionals who work in teams and wouldn't be stupid enough to let anyone be in the room without a look-out (even during their busy season, lol).

That leaves the DNC, who's incompetence perfectly matches the M.O. ;)  

Sounds like the desk clerk should be sweated for some answers... They knew something was up from the sound of it and perhaps the person could be persuaded to talk. There is likely a jail sentence threat that is credible somewhere around here with this.... Or if this was known about and allowed, a major lawsuit for the hotel chain at the very least... Don't let them get away with just an offer of a night's stay at no charge and a free terrycloth robe.

 And keep up the great work, Ms. Sheehan.. We are rooting for you and counting on a huge victory!! 

by Steve Windisch (jibbguy) (17 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 361 comments [54 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 7:33:16 PM

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Comment from Ratings:   Vote for Cindy Sheehan! http://www.cindyforcongress.org/ Contribute to Cindy's campaign: https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1590/t/2705/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=1901

by m w (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 7 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 7:52:03 PM

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We are talking scenarios on bugging. Here is another scenario to consider. The best and effective bugger is among us. I would like to think that Cindy is a woman to most people, including people in the surveillance community. In a violent society like ours, gender sensitive is reel. Rape accusation hangs in the air between men and women in situations similar to the incident we are pushing on this thread. One should give equal weight to other possibilities. Phone technology is littered with men and a good chunk of tech savvy women as well. I doubt that the surveillance in Denver could not find a woman to do the damage. Assigning a man to bug Cindy's room carries a lot of risks in itself. A more subtle bugger would have been a woman under the guise of protecting or making her feel psychologically safe. We all know that some lose their jobs or their lives under all kind of subtle mechanisms. They are accused of providing answers to questions that invoke anger from within, thrown to jail for planted facts or fabricated accusations and nobody gives a hoot. Cindy managed to alert the public. In the process, she is more protected than many of us. She has succeeded. Anything she says gets immediate attention. That is good news. She can continue her journey as she sees it fit in order to work for the people she wants to serve. Persistent intimidation is reel, one would argue. She should be less concerned about being bugged. It will happen regardless of her efforts. Your homework, Cindy, is to tell the public every suspicious or intruding incident. Alerting the community about incidents as they materialize is your best friend. It is therefore your first job. You owe us that much! .

by Ecor (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 8:21:26 PM

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I think she should sue the hotel. It's all of these enablers that allow egregious things to happen and they have to be stopped. One good lawsuit may make others think twice.

by Archie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1755 comments [111 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 9:50:01 PM

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Cindy Sheehan is being bugged?  What a surprise.  Actually, I'd be surprised if she wasn't.  By the way, is she in a primary against Pelosi or is she running in the general?  If a primary, when is it?

by Kenneth Barr (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 107 comments) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 10:18:47 PM

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she is running in the general election as an independent (only the sixth ever to get on the ballot in california).

by Cheryl Biren-Wright (30 articles, 42 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 485 comments [8 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 10:47:09 PM

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If this is happening to the good Ms. Sheehan, imagine what's happening to other less prominent (but more radical) activists!  I wrote about my own experiences on this topic very recently as I am concerned about being targeted for articles I've written about the forthcoming RNC protest.  At the very least, the good readers of this site should read up about what happened to Judi Bari (an activist who was awarded a $4.4 million settlement from the FBI).  The true horror is in the subtle details if you look at that case closely.

Concerning the possibility that she was being bugged...  Even if the intruder turned out to be perfectly credentialed, and sent by good ol' AT&T itself, that doesn't mean he wasn't sent to at least frighten her and create a story that, in the past, might have been met with more skepticism.  So he could have been authorized... but still dilly-dallying in her room all day just so that she could "catch" him with her phone and be frightened.  This is assuming that it wasn't simply some party trying to install their own personal bug due to lack of access to the greater phone-tapping capabilities of the U.S. government.  

I don't doubt your story one bit Ms. Sheehan, as you'll understand if you read my story linked above, but I do worry about you.  A) I want you to fully understand the lengths this government has (and is) going through to make certain peoples lives a living hell.  And B) I want you to take care of yourself.  NO MORE HUNGER STRIKES!  I don't know where you got that idea into your head, but you don't need to be hurt or weakened by yourself OR by the state.   Bush and company would be pleased as punch if you just starved yourself clear to death.  Please don't go that route.  Take care of yourself, stay strong, and keep fighting till they've forced you to admit that you love Big Brother.

by R. A. Louis (12 articles, 13 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 87 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 25, 2008 at 11:33:27 PM

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Comment from Ratings:   I'm bugged that all this police state stuff is happening in MY country! =:O

by Kim McDaniel (6 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 30 comments) on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 at 12:58:59 AM

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That word instantly replaces 'Watergate', which comes from Watergate Hotel where bugging begat Nixon's demise.

Let the Colorado caper be The Bug Heard 'Round the World.

This be the incident that galvanizes ALL of us. If you are not running for election: START.

The quickest sure way to make a federal cause celebre case out of this incident is: SUE the HOTEL. Breach of contract. Malicious negligence. ANYthing. Get it on a court docket THIS WEEK -- pro bono's should come out of the woodwork to file this lawsuit. NOW!

---

There plainly is more beneath it than is seen on the surface. This quickly gets into agent - double agent - triple agent, double double-cross, labyrinths of smoke and mirrors.

The first and biggest oddity is how blatantly amateur it was made to look.

Real buggers -- any ten P.I.'s in Peoria -- would never do ANY of these 'clumsy' slapsticks except on purpose. Even dealing with a last-minute room switch.

Purpose? To be 'caught.' For example, a 'GOP'-hire is to get 'caught' while making it appear to be a 'Democratic' job -- like Rob said, and likely everyone's first take on it: Pelosi has a motive. Result? A Democratic Party rift a mile high and wide. Winner? GOP. And bonus value if Pelosi gets put into expensive defensive mode, (to prove she did NOT do it; trying to prove a negative), while she has been so studied in her diffidence toward Cindy, and Cindy has not hardly landed a knockout punch, to be sure ... so 'GOP' helps Cindy punch Pelosi.

But wait. It is so obvious the 'GOP' has this motive, for 'their' advantage in a Democratic 'wedgie,' SO obvious that a smart Democratic operator would set it up to make it look like a 'GOP' operation aimed at Democrats; (since, surely no Democrat would aim at Democrats intentionally ?!)

This is where the agent - double agent, reverse-double-cross, crossed-eyes way of looking at it, gets started.

Where someone intends to 'get caught,' who are they trying to make it look like got caught? And that 'who' is usually the enemy of their enemy, which makes them essentially 'friends' (on the 'same side as') of who did get caught. But, in politics, 'friends' are enemies, competing for the same 'job.'

All in all, skipping over all the rigged 'two party' fighting, in-fighting, and back-biting, (as phony as 'two wrestlers' pro wrestling), the last thing 'either' party expects, and so the first thing to do in the case, is for it to disgust everyone to reject both 'parties' and spark a rebellion against party-politics wholesale. Analogous to pro wrestling fans quitting watching, walking out and going elsewhere, bowling or somewhere among the fans themselves.

Start with the small fry -- the hotel, sue the hotel -- and turn them on your side against their 'bosses.' Tell us the NAME of the HOTEL. A lawsuit is required publicity.

And end with the objective of -- in every Congressional District -- a candidate against BOTH party-machine candidates.

by meremark (1 articles, 3 quicklinks, 30 diaries, 572 comments [22 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 at 3:24:46 AM

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Why would the G.O.P. want anyone but Pelosi in charge of the House? She has done their bidding very well so far ;)

If she is removed by home election, it will not be a feather in the G.O.P.'s caps, it will be a wake-up call to all America that the bush regime was so hideous that even those who were in the "loyal opposition" are in bad odor with the public.

But all that goes to the discredited theory that they were really in opposition at all.... And not secretly serving the same shadowy masters instead of the American people. 

Ms. Sheehan's win will not make her Speaker in her stead... But it will send a shocking message that it's time to take back our government: Not only from those who would destroy it, but also from those who would collaborate with the destroyers.

If this was 1944-45 France, Speaker Pelosi would have her head shaved publically... And be lucky to get off so easy. 

Harsh words? Yes. Sitting on Impeachment when there are dozens of easily proven major crimes to prosecute deserves "harsh", and worse. Refusing to do anything about wars of aggression deserves it too... As well as allowing our good name to be dragged through the mud all over the world for the torture of political prisoners, death of over a million innocent civilians,  and other crimes against humanity that we have done during this phony, self-inflicted "war on terror".  Pelosi and her cohorts meeting in Denver this week stood by silently as our country was turned in to an aggressive fascist state.

"Know your Power", huh? Yes, it is time we all knew the power: Where it really comes from, who is serving it in our name, and how to eliminate it before it is too late. 

by Steve Windisch (jibbguy) (17 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 361 comments [54 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 at 9:51:04 AM

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It is only 'war gaming' the scene, supposing hypothetical motives from various points of view.

No, the 'GOP' motive might be NOT to 'defeat' Pelosi, only 'cost' her a larger breakaway 'wedge' faction. Motive being for her to win BUT win weakened. ... a 'brush back' pitch ... the 'GOP' sort of (harmlessly) 'shaving her head' to remind Pelosi she is servile.

Of course Cindy does NOT become Speaker by besting Pelosi.

What I would like to suggest, for circumspect consideration, is that the majority of voters is outside of the ring in which the 2-Party phony-opposites goes on gesturing and posing a Made-for-TV sideshow signifying nothing. And that, when we look around among ourselves outside the ring, and recognize that WE are the majority, WE can dump the 2-Party kabuki tea-party, the Punch 'n' Judy puppet show, ignore all that to its own collapse (i.e. institute our own local currencies, so stop doing labor for dollars, so stop paying taxes), and so begin -- in the majority -- communicating and organizing ourselves to self-govern our behavior in this world of problems and opportunities.

That divining the entrals looking for motive and suspects is a distracting waste of serious-citizen time, in the case of intrigues trying to ensnare Cindy. (Except to insure our concern for her safety.) Nevermind any of the pretenders and the pretenses. Instead, see to notice that the 2-Party grudging of her, is the signal that Independence Politics time and power is NOW, and that the 2-Party senses that knell, of itself, and is spasming in its death throes. Abandon those corpses.

Start to live. Cindy ignites us spontaneously.

by meremark (1 articles, 3 quicklinks, 30 diaries, 572 comments [22 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 at 12:21:46 PM

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Comment from Ratings:   Since Cindy is a U.S. citizen, and she was bugged on U.S. soil, she must be a HOMEGROWN TERRORIST. Now that Senatorial candidates have been identified as Terrorists, perhaps we will find more Terrorists amongst our Senators. I for one believe they are all acting to subvert our country and should all hang. Who's for Citizens arrests?

by kato krause (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 216 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 at 7:49:11 AM

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I really doubt this guy was bugging her room. There is this thing called modern technology and with some of it they can see and hear anything that goes on in any room, without placing any devices in the room. A description of this technology and its capabilities was in popular mechanics more than a decade ago. Have none of you heard about this technology? Certainly this guy was up to no good. But what exactly his purpose was is a mystery beyond intimidation.

by arlen custer (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 466 comments [69 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 at 11:31:16 AM

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