WP: Debating the Positives of Going Negative

[kskiska]

WAUKESHA, Wis., Sept. 5 -- Mary Bennett said she'd had enough of watching her party get battered on television during the four-day Republican National Convention. When she heard that Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards would be in the region, she got in her car and drove 90 miles from Chicago to be there in person.

She was not disappointed.

"It was a very positive message, and I needed that because the last four days, watching the Republican convention, I saw nothing but scowls," said Bennett, 53, a state government worker. Although Edwards rarely -- if ever -- scowls, he does heap scathing criticism on President Bush, blaming him for the evaporation of millions of jobs, for not coming to the aid of millions who have lost health insurance and for turning the Iraq war into "a mess."

Bennett liked the not-so-positive message, too. "It's possible to be critical and stay positive at the same time. I think he did that in his speech," she said. Historically, opposing candidates do not campaign during each other's national convention, but Edwards not only spent the entire week on the stump but also made repeated critical references to the GOP gathering in New York.

(snip)

The tough talk drew wild cheers from the partisan audiences, but not all Democratic voters were comfortable with the more confrontational style.

"They need to be careful," warned John Chobot, 74, of Delafield, Wis., who leaned on an aluminum fence with his buddy Ted Hoffarth, 72, at an Edwards rally Saturday in Waukesha. Even though Chobot was angry, referring to Bush as a "liar and a flip-flopper" for his explanations for invading Iraq, he didn't want the Democrats to be too negative. "I don't believe they should be negative, because this is what want. To put a lot of negative stuff out there and then the people will be turned off and not go out to vote."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64388-2004Sep5.html

[A_Possum]

1. I swear these reporters read the subject lines at DU

and then go off and do their stories.

[calimary]

6. Not so sure about that. I WISH they did. They might get a clue, or two,

about what they should REALLY be covering, or at least digging into a little farther. LOTS of story ideas here in these threads. PLUS the research is already done.

[K. F. Gibbons]

2. negative looks strong

Chest thumping Americans want a strong leader and associate the ability of a politician to go negative as a strength. Esp. if it includes calculated ridicule.

Why do you think Bush has survived this long?

I'm new here.
Hi!

[DeepModem Mom]

11. Hi, KFG -- welcome to DU!

[hansolsen]

3. It is not going "negative" to speak truth to power and call Bush on his

lies about WMD in Iraq, and his approval of torture at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere. Opposing the war in iraq involves taking the high moral ground.

We need to make this election about ethics and morality and help voters see the dark side of George Bush. He is one evil son of a bitch, and it is not "negative" campaigning to call a little monster, a little monster.

[K. F. Gibbons]

4. Oh Please!

Get off my high horse.
Negativity has nothing to do with the truth and everything to do with the use of language and presentation.
Kerry can tell the truth and be very polite and get nowhere. Or he can tell the truth with a metaphorical punch in the face and win the election.

[wurzel]

5. Has Bush gotten to where he is with a "positive" message?

He has been bashing Kerry night and day.

[Thurston Howe IV]

7. Bush lets others do the bashing

I believe most of the negatives are given to others to dish out -- Swift Boat Liars, Cheney, Zell Miller, O'Reilly, Hannity, Rush, etc. Bush is the one who said Kerry's service in Vietnam was honorable during August. This way, he stays about the fray and looks "presidential" -- whatever that's supposed to mean.

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. You're correct!

I told my husband the other night he's like a mob boss. Keeps his hands clean and lets the rest of 'em do the dirty work. As long as they are loyal to him, they have nothing to fear. But go astray, you've committed a form of suicide.

[Thurston Howe IV]

10. I like the mob boss analogy

These guys (Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz/Rove/etc) are so sociopathological that they pretty much operate like mob bosses. They've certainly committed character assassination with former administration officials who get fed up with all the lies and decide to speak out -- like Richard Clarke, Joe Wilson, Paul O'Neil.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. Welcome to DU, TH IV!

[wurzel]

13. True. But with a lot of free help from the media.

It seems to me that when Dems bash Bush they are either ignored or shouted down. The only time I hear of Bush/Cheney getting bashed is when Kerry does it himself. It ain't fair. But there it is.

[Thurston Howe IV]

9. The historic levels of bile will suppress the swing voter turnout

I agree with the old guy (Chobot) that too much negativity will turn off undecided swing voters so they don't go out an vote. I believe that Rove understands this and wants it - since late deciders tend to break in favor of the challenger.

Kerry should forcefully call Bush and Cheney on their corruption, incompetence and danger to society, but in a truthful way. Lies and smears will ultimately play into Republican hands -- they're planning on getting those 4 million Evangelicals who didn't vote in the last election to get out of their pews and vote for Bush this time. The "Family Marriage Act" and related state referenda are key to increasing Evangelical turn out in the battleground states.