

Here in Florida, a volunteer for the Clay County Republican Party called a man in Polk County and got his answering machine. She did not hang up before moving on to make her next call, so the first man's answering machine picked up what she said to the next person she called. You can hear her side of the call, but not what is being said on the other end of the line. The audio has been published online by The St. Augustine Record, and is also embedded to the right. Here's a transcript:



Y'all sound like y'all are senior citizens, right? Yeah. We don't want — you don't want Obama. You really don't want Obama because he'll get rid of your Medicare. You might as well say goodbye to it. Yeah, and I don't know if you've done any research on Obama or not, but he is a Muslim. He is — got a socialistic view on the, you know, the economy, the government, the whole nine yards. Um, if he had his way, we would be a socialistic country. Okay, really, do. Pay attention to Fox News. If you can get out and watch that movie 2016 do so. That has a lot of good information. Just really the newspapers and the Fox News will help you out; will help you. Okay, appreciate it sir. Thank you. Uh huh. Bye-bye.

The voicemail message was given to WMNF, a Tampa-area radio station that describes itself as “independent, progressive news and public affairs.” The station did not identify the source of the audio but said the person identified the Clay GOP’s number from caller ID. ““I received the call from a Polk County listener who said the recording was left on his answering machine,” said Rob Lorei, who aired the audio Wednesday on a show he hosts. GOP volunteer calls Obama a Muslim, The St. Augustine Record, September 27, 2012

Back in Clay County, the county chair says the volunteer went off script. "The Clay County party is sorry it happened as well as the Romney campaign, but we don't condone that type of discussion," said chair Leslie Dougher. But Dougher didn't condemn the comments. The caller also talked about her perception of President Obama's views on government. "Um he is um, got a socialistic view on the ya' know, economy, the government, the whole nine yards. If he had his way, we'd be a socialistic country," said the volunteer. Dougher says while there was a supervisor on duty, he or she missed this unscripted message. "We have 25 volunteers come in and they're told to stick to the script and she did not," said Dougher. Shocking campaign call

My husband and I live in Polk County, Florida. We listen to Rob Lorei on WMNF Radio all the time and somehow missed this story which appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show tonight. It was part of a larger segment. Since this is where I first learned about the recorded call, I've included the clip and transcript of what appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show below the fleur-de-orange. Rachel talks about the call coming from the Clay County Republican Party, but the article she references talks about the call being recorded here in Polk County.In another report from Jacksonville, it is pointed out that the party chair in Clay County did not condemn the comments made by the volunteer who went off script.So far this isn't being widely reported. It was on The Rachel Maddow Show, and currently appears online at some Florida news sites.