Posted by Racer on October 28, 2006, at 15:11:16
Obviously, with the election coming up here in the United States, there are a lot of political ads on television. Mostly, I can tune them out, but sometimes they sink into my consciousness.
This morning, there was something about one campaign, in Virginia, on MSNBC. They had two political strategists discussing that race, one from each major party. One candidate was attacking the other based on one or more novels he wrote many years ago that were apparently rather racy. I wasn't paying much attention to the issue -- mostly because I don't know that I consider it much of an issue, really -- but I was disturbed by the tone of the whole thing. (Mostly, that both of the strategists were talking over one another and the interviewer. Just, you know, bad manners on both sides...)
Anyway, that got me thinking about that sort of campaign. You know, the kind where the ads don't really talk about what the candidate wants to accomplish, what sort of vision the candidate wants to bring to office, but attacks the opponent -- often on rather vague grounds. (Innuendo often works wonders, it seems. Anyone familiar with Everett Dirksen's campaigns?) (And Dr Bob? I think that is civil -- I very much doubt we have any active Everett Dirksen supporters here, and his campaigns were actually used as examples of that sort of thing in campaigns, at least when I was in school. Besides, I knew one of his nephews, so he's practically family, right? :-P ) There seem to be a lot of them around here right now, even some by candidates I support and respect.
I was wondering, though, whether that sort of negative campaign influenced people? And then, of course, I wondered why I'd never thought to wonder about that before? Hm...
Anyone out there want to chime in? Tell me whether you think you're influenced, in either direction, by negative campaign ads? How do you feel about it?
Thanks!
poster:Racer
thread:698515
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20061009/msgs/698515.html