The Campaigning PMs of Frodo

[Akno21]

From the looks of the PM, it was not really a "personal" message in that it was not personalized at all. It was most likely a bit of chain-mail, mass mailed to a list of Mideast voters. There is a difference between a truly personal message and something that is just chain mail.

[J-Mann]

Forum Rules
The rules are pretty obvious and universal.

5. Private communications such as PMs and emails can only be posted with permission.


Number five is particularly interesting, given this situation.  Though it is a bit vague, I would prefer to err on the side of caution so that permission to post a private message is granted from both parties involved: sender and recipient.

As for the content of Frodo's post: politics is politics, folks.  What is said in private is often much different than the public face of politics.  Anyone who is unfamiliar with the nastiness of any political scene may need to spend a bit more time on this site reviewing some of the posts about real politics.  There's going to be arguments and bitterness, for sure -- no one should be feigning shock at such a turn of events.  Frodo is the chairman of the CDP, and party chairman are often attack dogs for candidates who present the public face of the party. 

Regardless of it being a mass-e-mailed personal message, it probably should have stayed private if both parties had not given their consent.  If the moderators were strict about enforcing the rules, such a rule would have definitely been broken here.

[Emsworth]

[P]olitics is politics, folks...

Regardless of it being a mass-e-mailed personal message, it probably should have stayed private if both parties had not given their consent.

With all due respect, it is rather contradictory to suggest that politics is politics, but then condemn someone for posting a private message publicly.

[J-Mann]

[P]olitics is politics, folks...

Regardless of it being a mass-e-mailed personal message, it probably should have stayed private if both parties had not given their consent.

With all due respect, it is rather contradictory to suggest that politics is politics, but then condemn someone for posting a private message publicly.

Not in the context that I am meaning, which may be a bit hard to make out.  Private messages should not only be kept private as a matter of respect for the sender, but also because it is a forum rule.  However, it was made public in this case, and I don't see any problem with the content.

While they preferably should remain private, the content of such PMs should be shocking to no one. 

And you should get back in your Senate race.

[The Duke]

Ah, J-Mann makes a pretty good point on rule #5.  I feel an obligation as moderator to warn that future postings of PMs will be deleted.  I'll let this one stand, since apparently there is legitimate reason for confusion about what constitutes privacy and whether mass mailings are private.  There's also a whistle blower value to this, I guess, which earns it leniency.

But now that everyone has seen the rule re-posted, and my clarification, there won't be any confusion in the future, right?

[minionofmidas]

I remember that somebody was sending out dirty pms about Al's abortion stances (without my knowledge or approval) during a certain presidential election...
and I did not like it.

[Jake]

I'll ask again Pete, who gave you the private message?

[Q]

I'll ask again Pete, who gave you the private message?

Wouldn't it be hypocritical for you to request the release of this information, as you all were so incensed that "private" information was released in the first place?

[The Duke]

I'll ask again Pete, who gave you the private message?

Wouldn't it be hypocritical for you to request the release of this information, as you all were so incensed that "private" information was released in the first place?

He;d probably respond by saying that whoever leaked the PM to Bell has forgone any right of privacy by violating the privacy of someone else.

Actually, I care very little who leaked at this point aside from morbid curiosity.

[Jake]

I'll ask again Pete, who gave you the private message?

Wouldn't it be hypocritical for you to request the release of this information, as you all were so incensed that "private" information was released in the first place?

Um, that makes little sense. I support that the contents of private messages remain confidential. I simply want to know the little sh!t who's to afraid to post the private message himself. If he wants privacy, Frodo should've gotten a little.