Maine - Senator Susan Collins to Allen: Call off tracker

Excerpts:
"In his letter to the Tom Allen for Senate campaign, Abbott wrote that in Maine "we have long prided ourselves on our efforts to maintain a civil level of discourse over the course of spirited political campaigns. Tactics such as tracking demean the political process, contribute to voter cynicism, and have no place in the type of substantive issues-oriented campaigns that our voters deserve. In addition, tracking invades the privacy of Mainers who wish to converse with their candidates."

In the telephone interview, Abbott said if Collins were giving a speech, recording her would be fair game.

"I think it’s a line you’re crossing when go down this road," Abbott said, and suggested campaigns should "treat people with a little dignity."

What the Collins camp found particularly egregious was the manner in which they allege the young man conducted himself. Abbott said the man — whom the Allen camp declined to identify beyond his first name, Rick — aimed the camera at Collins from close range."

and

"Andrews, who works for the Maine Democratic Party but who will transfer to the Allen campaign, said "tracking is part of any modern campaign," and rejected claims that the man was intrusive.

"I don’t think he was in anybody’s face," she said. Told that the man appeared to be four to five feet in front of Collins as she marched, Andrews said, "That’s a respectful distance."

She added that while tracking is "part of the game" in campaigns, she pledged to fire anyone who did not do the job respectfully. Andrews said she was tracked while working on a campaign outside of Maine.

Martin said the Collins campaign is using the incident as an opening salvo, attempting to suggest Allen is making the race nasty and dirty. She referred to Allen’s campaign announcement, in which he said, "This is an election between two good people who happen to feel differently about important issues." The Allen camp sees tracking as a way to highlight the differences on the issues, she said."

Alex Hammer: I agree with Senator Collins on this issue. I think - if other Mainers agree with me - that this is too much for Maine. I don't like it in National politics outside of Maine either.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=153101&zoneid=500

Update: Here is the story also in the Portland Press Herald:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127279

Alex Hammer

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