Posted on 02/28/2008 3:55:46 PM PST by forkinsocket
The Presidential candidates have mostly avoided negative attack ads, but pundits say the campaigns could go "Swift Boat" at any time
In mid-February, Senator Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y.) campaign launched what political pundits widely described as its first negative attack ad against Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.). The TV spot, which ran in Wisconsin in the days leading up to Obama's 17-percentage-point win in the Feb. 20 primary, needled him for choosing not to debate Clinton in the Badger State because he would "prefer to give speeches than have to answer questions." The ad also contended that Obama's proposed health-care plan would be too expensive.
A zinger it was not—and that tells us a lot about the state of political advertising in 2008. Sure, the campaign season could go "Swift Boat" any minute, especially once the general election begins in earnest. But for now the candidates are caught between dueling advisers: campaign vets in both parties telling them that going negative works and those warning them that doing so risks a boomerang effect, turning off voters looking for change. Clinton on Feb. 21 made a point of saying she was honored to be on the same stage as Obama; by the following weekend, however, she was ridiculing his campaign of hope from the Ohio stump. "There are new rules for going negative," says veteran Republican strategist Ed Rogers. "And we are finding out what they are as we go along."
Back in the Day Things were once so much simpler for people like Rogers. Back in 1988, he was working for George H.W. Bush's campaign, which benefited from a Republican political action committee that concocted the infamous Willie Horton ad. It linked Michael Dukakis to a furloughed murderer who went on to commit a rape while Dukakis was governor of Massachusetts.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
That must mean that everybody will start telling the truth.
I can see readily that most nations that are enemies of America, do support Obama. Is this where his funds are coming from by heaps?
Is Jesse Jackson writing news headlines now? I could swear I could hear his voice chanting “No hate in ‘08”.
Seems to me it was Al "the" Gore that brought this up during the primary.
The campaigns are going to tell the truth at anytime? huh...must be snowin in
The article is correct in its analysis. The public mood has turned against rancorous partisanship. Effective attack ads will tend to be be more issue driven with less of the gotcha stuff about small things taken out of context.
Yes, anything truthful about Obama will be considered negative, swift boating, and racist. Any lie or exaggeration about McCain will be considered "truthful" by the MSM. Get used to it.
Nevertheless, Obama may fade in the stretch, as doubts grow about his lack of experience.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.