Why So Negative?

Art By Billy Stapleton

With election season in full swing, you’ve probably seen your share of negative campaign ads, and we’re just getting started. While McCain and Obama have vowed to run respectful campaigns, they can’t stop party supporters from producing negative ads about their candidates. The question remains, do these ads work?

Since the introduction of the television in the 1950’s, politicians have used the medium to sway voters in their direction by way of criticizing their opponent. While the first negative ads occurred during the Eisenhower campaign of 1952, over the past 5 decades, these spots have grown to one-third of presidential candidates ads. The 1980’s were considered the height of the negative political ads as Ronald Regan and Jimmy Carter battled for the White House. Since then, there has been a steady increase of these spots and the attacks have become more personal. During the 2004 race, George Bush supporters questioned the patriotism of John Kerry through negative spots even though he had served his country during the Vietnam War.

Many voters will never leave the party they have always supported no matter who the candidate is; once a republican, always a republican. The reason for negative ads is to target the swing, independents and undecided voters. While these ads once worked well they are now beginning to lose their appeal as a new- more politically aware generation enters the process. According to ThisNation.com, there is an increasingly public opinion that political campaigning has become more negative and unethical then ever before. A recent bipartisan survey conducted by the Project on Campaign Conduct, found that 87% of the voters are concerned about the level of personal attacks in today's political campaigns, 59% believe that all or most candidates deliberately twist the truth and another 43% believe that most or all candidates deliberately make unfair attacks on their opponents.

A study at the University of Virginia in 1999 showed that voters reward campaign practices that are perceived as fair and punish candidates for engaging in unfair attacks. Nearly 10 years later, this sentiment still holds true and politicians are finally catching on. In December of 2007, presidential candidate Mike Huckabee pulled his negative ad and vowed to go positive. However, 5 months later Hillary Clinton was still engaging in the practice of negative advertising while Barack Obama was defending himself by accusing the New York Senator of using the “same old negative politics” and voters are responding.

Clinton may have very well ended her campaign because of her old ways, while Obama is seizing the moment and the mood of the country for change. Still don’t expect this year’s run to the White House be any kinder or gentler. With the Reverend Wright controversy, Mrs. Obama’s comments, and Barack’s endorsement by Hamas, the GOP has already geared up for an ugly campaign which will definitely give the Democratic candidate the upper hand if he continues to plays fair.

Tony Engelhart is a featured writer for Xomba.com. Read the rest of his work here .