Negative Campaign Ads

It's that time of year again. It seems the mudslinging in the negative political campaign ads is worse than ever.

In my opinion, if you want me to vote for you, you need to tell me why I should vote for you, rather than reasons why I shouldn't vote for your opponent. If you can't sell me on your positives, then I can't see why you should be elected.

Andy I wholeheartedly agree with you. I carry it into our company and we have a policy that if one of our employees badmouths a competitor in front of a customer/potential customer then we will terminate the employee. I think the same should hold true for a politician.

HOWEVER, in the real world, many of the attack adds are paid for by Political Action Committees. PACs often do not answer directly to the candidate's campaign. Some work closely with the campaign, some work independant of the campaign. There in lies some of the problem.

The other sad fact is that attack ads do work.

There is one other point and that is there are some issues where it would seem valid to bring up the opponent's position. This does not have to be done in an attack ad format, but typically it is.

AndyM said:

if you want me to vote for you, you need to tell me why I should vote for you, rather than reasons why I shouldn't vote for your opponent. If you can't sell me on your positives, then I can't see why you should be elected.

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I think the menacing Osama clip will go down as a classic miscalculation by Republican strategists. I think they intended 'Be very afraid' but what that brings to mind for me, and I hope a lot of people, is Oh yeah - Where's Osama? How did we lose focus on him, and spend all the lives and money going off in a different direction?

B_Skurka said:

HOWEVER, in the real world, many of the attack adds are paid for by Political Action Committees. PACs often do not answer directly to the candidate's campaign. Some work closely with the campaign, some work independant of the campaign. There in lies some of the problem.

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This election seems to be different... many of the attack ads are paid for by the candidate's campaign.
You know the ads... I'm _______ and I approve this message... follewed by 26 seconds of attacking the opponent.

B_Skurka said:

The other sad fact is that attack ads do work.

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Not for everyone. How many people here are turned off by the negative ads, as opposed to those who see them as a tool to bring attention to issues the candidates may have?

Have you seen the ads that Mehlman and company broadcast about Harold Ford? Disgusting. The candidate didn't pay for them (but he didn't really fight very hard against them, either). You should see the ads here in Florida put out by the Republican National Committee. Fortunately, they're going to be another shot in the GOP's foot, because no sensible person could ever believe that anyone is as bad as the ads are portraying. I know the GOP doesn't get it very often, but they're seldom this stupid.

The national Dems have also been paying for ads here in Florida. The one they're showing for Mahoney (who is running for Foley's seat) is positive and never mentions his opponent. It does say that Mahoney can restore moral values to the office, which is hugely ironic considering that's the approach that got Bush elected, before they blew it.

OkeeDon said:

Have you seen the ads that Mehlman and company broadcast about Harold Ford? Disgusting.

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I saw that ad several times. What's "disgusting" about it?

The Kean camp is running an ad in New Jersey right now against Menendez.

It is a "take off" of the "Sopranos." It implies that Menendez is corrupt and is under federal investigation.

Guess what? New Jersey voters never let corruption stop them from voting for corrupt Democrats in the past. That ad may help Menendez.

Pennsylvania's Santorum's ad implies that Casey's campaign commitee holds their meetings in a smoke filled prison cell. Where does Santorum think corrupt Democrats have held their meetings for the past 100 years?

As soon as I know who the candidates are, I do my research. My mind is made up way before election day. Last minute ads don’t influence me.

I guess I’m one of the few people who enjoy negative campaign ads. I think they’re hilarious and entertaining.

I also enjoy dirty tricks.

About 30 years ago, I was supporting Republican “CHARLIE CANALE.” The Democrat candidate modified Charlie’s signs to read, “CHARLIE ANAL.” The Democrat won the election. I admired his style so much I supported and voted for him from then on. We’re still friends to this day.

Another time I had bumper stickers printed with the opponent’s name “Foster.” Those were placed under the word STOP on 100 stop signs in our town. That started a fad. Kids and adults painted “Foster” on every stop sign that I missed.

Foster was going to be in a parade. He asked the local Chrysler dealer (a friend of mine) to supply six convertibles. I put my drivers in all the convertibles. Foster refused to ride in any of them. The police chief (another friend of mine) offered Foster a ride. It was in the caged back seat of a police cruiser with the door handles removed.

When the parade ended, Foster got up on the stage to make his speech. As I walked in front of the stage, 1000 balloons were “prematurely” released, music “prematurely” started blaring from the PA system, and an announcement was made that beer and food was served. Foster lost the election.

Once when I was running for office, the media implied I had “Underworld Ties.” My opponent started repeating that in his campaign literature and in speeches. At our next debate, I confessed to the public and the media that indeed it was true...... I do have underworld ties.

I stood up, unbuttoned my jacket and displayed my tie that had “Underworld” silk screened on it. Almost everyone laughed, and I won the election.

You know, I didn't like you, much, before. If any of that crap in your last post is actually true, then I like you a hell of a lot less. I don't suppose that matters to you, which doesn't matter to me. I'm just glad I don't have to live with your problems.

AndyM said:

How many people here are turned off by the negative ads, as opposed to those who see them as a tool to bring attention to issues the candidates may have?

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Andy, I'm not sure that anyone knows how many people are turned off by Negative Ads, but I am sure that Negative Ads do work.

The problem is that there are huge numbers of people in American who gather their opinions from sound bites, they get their news from talking heads, they do absolutely no research at all, and often vote for the party their parents voted for and have no real idea what the party, or the candidate, actually stand for.

OkeeDon said:

You know, I didn't like you, much, before. If any of that crap in your last post is actually true, then I like you a hell of a lot less. I don't suppose that matters to you, which doesn't matter to me. I'm just glad I don't have to live with your problems.

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Any chance you could stick to facts and not get personal? Come on Don, don't you think the personal attacks are getting old?

Dutch-NJ said:

As soon as I know who the candidates are, I do my research. My mind is made up way before election day. Last minute ads don’t influence me.

I guess I’m one of the few people who enjoy negative campaign ads. I think they’re hilarious and entertaining.

I also enjoy dirty tricks.

About 30 years ago, I was supporting Republican “CHARLIE CANALE.” The Democrat candidate modified Charlie’s signs to read, “CHARLIE ANAL.” The Democrat won the election. I admired his style so much I supported and voted for him from then on. We’re still friends to this day.

Another time I had bumper stickers printed with the opponent’s name “Foster.” Those were placed under the word STOP on 100 stop signs in our town. That started a fad. Kids and adults painted “Foster” on every stop sign that I missed.

Foster was going to be in a parade. He asked the local Chrysler dealer (a friend of mine) to supply six convertibles. I put my drivers in all the convertibles. Foster refused to ride in any of them. The police chief (another friend of mine) offered Foster a ride. It was in the caged back seat of a police cruiser with the door handles removed.

When the parade ended, Foster got up on the stage to make his speech. As I walked in front of the stage, 1000 balloons were “prematurely” released, music “prematurely” started blaring from the PA system, and an announcement was made that beer and food was served. Foster lost the election.

Once when I was running for office, the media implied I had “Underworld Ties.” My opponent started repeating that in his campaign literature and in speeches. At our next debate, I confessed to the public and the media that indeed it was true...... I do have underworld ties.

I stood up, unbuttoned my jacket and displayed my tie that had “Underworld” silk screened on it. Almost everyone laughed, and I won the election.

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Wow Dutch, that's great! You have alot to be proud of!
Bonehead

BoneheadNW said:

Wow Dutch, that's great! You have alot to be proud of!
Bonehead

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Wassamadda wit u Bone? I haven't heard you griping about the negative ads the Dems run. It's politics, man. You should read Huey (Kingfish) Long's biography if you want to learn about political dirty tricks.

I think that's a hilarious story Dutch!

I'm with CityBoy on this one (Dutch's story).

What he did in the past is no different than what occurs during every election.

I'll bet if you switched the 2 candidates (so the victim is your opponent) you would think it was great.

Dutch-NJ said:

Another time I had bumper stickers printed with the opponent’s name “Foster.” Those were placed under the word STOP on 100 stop signs in our town. That started a fad. Kids and adults painted “Foster” on every stop sign that I missed.

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From the guy who was going to get his torch and run into NYC during 9/11 to "help???? What a great american.

Dude, if you can't steel a road sign, leave them alone. You must be from Jersey.

Cityboy said:

Wassamadda wit u Bone?

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Is that ghetto (sp?) or redneck "speak"? Not sure.

dzalphakilo said:

Is that ghetto (sp?) or redneck "speak"? Not sure.

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I think that's a Jerseyism that CB was using. Mainily from Italian neighborhoods.

dzalphakilo said:

From the guy who was going to get his torch and run into NYC during 9/11 to "help???? What a great american.

Dude, if you can't steel a road sign, leave them alone. You must be from Jersey.

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I’m having difficulty deciphering what your muddled, jumble of words even mean, much less what they have to do with the topic..... “Negative Campaign Ads.”

OkeeDon said:

You know, I didn't like you, much, before.

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Your punctuation confuses me. Do you mean you’re not fond of me? How would I have known that? We have never met, and I can’t comprehend the rants you usually post.

OkeeDon said:

If any of that crap in your last post is actually true, then I like you a hell of a lot less.

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What if my statements are all true? How much less will you like me then? Sounds like you’re getting close to the threshold of hate.

OkeeDon said:

I don't suppose that matters to you, which doesn't matter to me.

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Double negatives..... wow. Suppose it does matter to me, will that matter to you too?

OkeeDon said:

I'm just glad I don't have to live with your problems.

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I doubt you could cope with my problems.

Likewise, I wouldn’t want to live with your problems. It must be exhausting staying one step ahead of the black helicopters who are trying to ensnare you in a net.

Dutch-NJ said:

I’m having difficulty deciphering what your muddled, jumble of words even mean, much less what they have to do with the topic..... “Negative Campaign Ads.”

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I'll type slow so you can take your time reading, ok?

Per another thread on "Where were you at during 9/11" (wording may be off) but you should know which thread I'm refering to, per your words and I quote-

"When the first tower collapsed, I felt compelled to take some sort of action. NYC is about a two hour drive for me. I called my supplier and ordered several extra cylinders of oxygen and acetylene and extra cutting tips. I went back to my garage and started to load cutting torches, pry bars, port-a-powers, and tools into my truck.

I went back into the house to pack a suitcase. Then the second tower collapsed, and I heard that a third plane had crashed into the Pentagon, and there was a forth plane headed for Washington D.C.. It was then that I realized how silly it was for me to even think I could get into NYC much less help in the rescue."

Honestly, very admirable (sp?), but then you mention about your "election past" and go in an election race and deface public property (stop signs) for political "gain"? Hey, you my sir are a great American.

My point about stealing a road sign is that for some, it's just stupid crap we do growing up, but you did it as an adult, and you had a speciffic reason/gain for doing it. You're just the type of guy we all need in office.

But then again we're probably talking about Jersey here.

bczoom said:

I'm with CityBoy on this one (Dutch's story).

What he did in the past is no different than what occurs during every election.

I'll bet if you switched the 2 candidates (so the victim is your opponent) you would think it was great.

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You are wrong. Look, I am one of the biggest practical jokers- everything from taco sauce under the toilet seat to wet oatmeal in someones bed. But, when it comes to doing my job and/or behaving in front of the public, I consider myself to be a professional. That is what the public and my coworkers expect of me and, more importantly, how a trained professional should act. Negative campaign ads, or much worse, dirty tricks from a politician, are very unprofessional as far as I am concerned. If you can't trust a politician to run an "honorable" campaign (which 99.9% of the public would agree is not consistent with dirty tricks), how would you ever be able to trust the politician in office? The reason I put the B.S. flag in my response to Dutch's post is that it was too rediculous to believe it was true and he was proud of it.
Bonehead

BH,

Only have a second to respond so this will be brief.

What is expected out of you or me or any other professional "I" believe is completely different than what I expect out of a politician.

If the rules/guidelines were the same, Ross Perot would have been president.

Don't confuse what we do with what politicians do as being anywhere close to similar.

BC

bczoom said:

BH,

Only have a second to respond so this will be brief.

What is expected out of you or me or any other professional "I" believe is completely different than what I expect out of a politician.

If the rules/guidelines were the same, Ross Perot would have been president.

Don't confuse what we do with what politicians do as being anywhere close to similar.

BC

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BC-
I completely disagree. If I am unprofessional in my job, people will have no confidence in my abilities as a firefighter, which could affect their well being. An unprofessional politician, whether that person does "dirty tricks" during a campaign or negative campaign ads, can not be trusted to uphold the law as a public servant. People bitch and moan about so-and-so badmouthing the president to the press but it's ok to be unprofessional when running a campaign? One is free speech (whether you agree with it or not), the other is out and out breaking the law.
Bone

BH,

You and I are trusted and expected to do our job. If we don't, people die (and yes, what I do isn't front line like yours but if I F-up, results can be similar).

Uphold the law and be a public servant?

I think you and I are on the same side here...

Dutch-NJ said:

Likewise, I wouldn’t want to live with your problems. It must be exhausting staying one step ahead of the black helicopters who are trying to ensnare you in a net.

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Hmm. If you think I 'm part of the crowd that worries about black helicopters, you're more confused, naive or ignorant about politics than I thought. It's the right-wing, militia-type, "pry my gun out of my cold, dead hand" types who worry about the blue helmet troops in the black helicopters. They think those troops are coming to take their guns away. That hardly describes me...

Cityboy said:

Any chance you could stick to facts and not get personal? Come on Don, don't you think the personal attacks are getting old?

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Come on, CB, you don't think he deserved it? Oh, wait, you thought it was hilarious. Well, your words, not mine...

I dont like the negative campaign adds at all. We have 2 running here for congress, each of them is slapping the other around. I wish there was a 3rd, I would vote for him/her no matter what.

Someone said towards the front of this thread, tell me about YOU, not about your oponent, NOW THAT WOULD BE SIMPLY FREAKIN AMAZING. Imagine that, adds that inform rather than try to deform.

I also dont give a fat squat about party this or that. I wish it was all ONE Party, vote for the person not some silly bunch of no counts that their only point is dem or rep.

This is all primer for us to get ready for 08, when whats her name will run. At least it will make for an interesting year or so. Hey where is Ross at anyway? Might be time for a come back!

I don't like negative campaign advertising either. But, if one's opponet is doing it the opponets are forced to respond with their own negative ad. The ones who don't come up with their own ads loose (according to news blips I've seen). We've got a snowball effect going and negitive ads appear to be a fact of live from here on out. I can't fathom what it would take to get rid of them.

OkeeDon said:

Come on, CB, you don't think he deserved it? Oh, wait, you thought it was hilarious. Well, your words, not mine...

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It was a funny story. Why would you want to go after Dutch personally for it? You've been around long enough to understand the dirty tricks of politics. I don't see you complaining about the dirty tricks of the left. Remember the ad last election cycle where the announcer stated: "If Republicans are elected, black churches will burn" ? Not one leftist that I know, here or anywhere else condemned that outright lie. So my conclusion is that it is OK as long as your own political party does it, but it is wrong when the other party does it.

BoneheadNW said:

BC-
I completely disagree. If I am unprofessional in my job, people will have no confidence in my abilities as a firefighter, which could affect their well being. An unprofessional politician, whether that person does "dirty tricks" during a campaign or negative campaign ads, can not be trusted to uphold the law as a public servant. People bitch and moan about so-and-so badmouthing the president to the press but it's ok to be unprofessional when running a campaign? One is free speech (whether you agree with it or not), the other is out and out breaking the law.
Bone

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The bottom line for any worker is that they can be fired for being less than professional on the job, whatever that job may be. Politics is an entirely different entity. I do not condone the dirty tricks, but the fact of the matter is that it is reality in politics. I'd love to see just one election cycle where the candidates ran solely on individual merit; but that is not going to happen.

Now, after all your protest of these political dirty tricks, will you stand up and speak out against the Democrats for doing the same thing the Republicans do? I have not seen you do it yet, so I have to assume that you think it is OK for your side, but not OK for the other.

Personally, I am glad to see Carl Rove and others give the Democrats some of their own medicine. It is hilarious to watch the hand wringing and writhing of the other side as they are forced to swallow those bitter pills.

Cityboy said:

Now, after all your protest of these political dirty tricks, will you stand up and speak out against the Democrats for doing the same thing the Republicans do? I have not seen you do it yet, so I have to assume that you think it is OK for your side, but not OK for the other.

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To answer your question: YES YES YES! An asshole is an asshole no matter what party he/she belongs to. When are you going to get it? Are you so naive as to think that things are so black and white, all democrats are evil, all republicans are saints? Wake up man!

With regards to you not seeing me speak out against democrats, while it may or may not have happened here on FF, I believe that a lying, cheating, politician does not belong in office. Therefore, the DEMOCRAT that Dutch was referrring to here:

About 30 years ago, I was supporting Republican “CHARLIE CANALE.” The Democrat candidate modified Charlie’s signs to read, “CHARLIE ANAL.” The Democrat won the election. I admired his style so much I supported and voted for him from then on. We’re still friends to this day.

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I think this guy was WRONG and SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ELECTED.

There, you saw it so it must be true, right? By the way, I'm sure you have never seen a blue whale, at least in person, so they probably don't exist either. Nope, that's right, all those pictures on tv, but never seen one in person- they don't exist.
Bonehead