Laptop stolen from McCain campaign in Missouri

Laptop stolen from McCain campaign in Missouri

www.computerworld.com

Republican campaigners in Missouri are beefing up security after a laptop containing "strategic information" was stolen from a campaign field office of presidential contender John McCain.

The laptop contained "strategic information for the [Republican party] on how we are going to reach out to people in the Kansas City area," Hervey said.

...[T]he theft may have been politically motivated. They say the laptop contained information that would be valuable to a political opponent.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It is suspected that the laptop was targeted specifically, in that many laptops which contained no sensitive data were touched in the burglary.

This is not the first time in the election that a campaign headquarters has been targeted, indeed, one of Clinton's staffers was murdered earlier this year.

While previous incidents have not been particularly well-organized and the murder of the Clinton staffer has not been linked specifically with the campaign, in this case, the burglary seems both well-orchestrated and to have a specific goal of disrupting the McCain campaign and, of course, providing sensitive and possibly embarrassing information to McCain opponents.

Let us hope that the data was backed up and that there is nothing that will detract from the substance of the presidential campaign.

It really sounds like a Watergate style break-in. This development could prove to be interesting.

www.computerworld.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

...or they could be lying or have commited the act themselves to cast doubt on the opposition. Had to be said...

Does he even know how to work the thing?

Oh his assistant must know. I'd say just go look for it and surely, such important documents must be backed up, right?

What was I thinking?

It never occurred to me that the McCain campaign would throw a brick through their own campaign headquarters and steal their own computer just for the drama.

Clinton probably had her Little Rock campaign manager murdered for the same effect, just like when she started squirting tears up in New Hampshire.

I must have lost my presence of mind.

[edit on 2008/10/4 by GradyPhilpott]

reply to post by dgtempe


The cannot type because he abused in Vietnamese pow camp.

this seems to happen quite a bit. back when hillary was running for senator and Gore was running for president, their offices were in my building and they both had laptop thefts.

24 hour security at the door, video cameras everywhere.

I tend to think these things aren't politically motivated. Why would obama's camp risk getting caught doing something like this? he's ahead in the polls. if anything, mccain should be the one trying to get information in advance of obama's strategies.

probably a petty criminal who saw a laptop and snagged it.

I have been receiving messages from my friend in K.C. and she is very concerned about the black helicopters which have been seen circling the city for a few days now.

I just do not trust these so called thefts, I think it is subliminal messaging to calm the GP for the next step in the execution of their rights and freedoms.

I mean come on, you can not even wear a Tshirt that is opposing to their campaign, security has never been so thick for Presidential candidates, and it makes no sense that an important item like his lap top would not be under close supervision with at least one person responsible for it at all times.

and to make the insinuation that clinton's employee was murdered for the same motivations as a stolen laptop is really stretching it. Obviously Obama was the opponent in both cases, so what are you implying? That Obama supporters, whether instructed by him or not, were behind the laptop theft and the clinton death? cmon.

I would like to hope that the person who stole the laptop was neither a Republican nor a Democrat. A Democrat would only release information damaging to the Republican party, but not necessarily information that was damaging to BOTH parties.

If it is just some random truther that took it, perhaps they will leak stuff that will give us real insight into the level of deception and the techniques used to manipulate that both parties use on us.

Now that would be worth knowing. Just more, "Democrats suck" and "Republicans suck" rubbish is old and tired. I could really care less about partisan bickering anymore. As I see it, there simply isnt enough real difference, that matters to me in my insignificant little life, between the two parties for me to give a rats rear end what they say about each other.

Let's explore another CT. An employee of the McCain campaign realized that McCain/Palin will usher in the "New Tyranny", had a moment of conscience and decided to switch sides with the goods to save America.

[edit on 4-10-2008 by whaaa]

Originally posted by bknapple32
...so what are you implying? That Obama supporters, whether instructed by him or not, were behind the laptop theft and the clinton death? cmon.

You're not serious, are you?

I would keep an eye on ebay or other auction site for it...perhaps McCain's group should do the same.

Cheers!!!

Directed by Obama headquarters, or not, I can see where a computer containing this kind of information would be a valuable commodity.
This election year, when neither side can drum up a level of support above 50 percent, there is a still, yet uncommitted group of voters that both sides are vying for. The value in this computer's information could be instrumental in swaying the uncommitted voter block.

My suspicion, and this is MY OPINION, is that there are probably sufficiently disconnected groups on BOTH sides. Which have either been instructed to, or have taken it upon themselves to collect whatever intelligence is obtainable, through any means necessary.

The chiefs a the top of these campaigns, can easily deny any connection to the thefts. But will happily digest any information obtained.

In conclusion. Whatever information is contained on this laptop, will make it to campaign headquarters of Obama.

One can only hope that this was bait. A honeypot, if you will.

I think you're right on the money, space.

As I recall, Nixon was not involved in the Watergate break-in and was done in not because of any involvement, but because he sought to cover up the incident rather than come clean.

In this case, Obama and the leadership might have had no involvement and the culprits could be loose cannons within the campaign or a "free-lancer" looking for money or attention.

Even if the burglar was a clueless cretin, he isn't clueless now and any opponents of the McCain campaign should be aware that a crime has been committed.


[edit on 2008/10/4 by GradyPhilpott]