Democrats Running Nastiest, Most Personal Campaign Ever

Anyone shocked, other than that the story is from ABC News?

It’s not just the Aqua Buddha and David Vitter’s prostitute, Democratic candidates across the country are closing out the campaign with personal attacks on Republican candidates, sometimes digging up decades-old legal problems.

In one typical example, Democratic ads have transformed Kentucky Republican House candidate Andy Barr into “a convicted criminal” — complete with images yellow police tape and fuzzy video of crime scenes. Not mentioned is his crime: As a college student 19 years ago, he was caught using a fake ID during spring break.

As you watch this year’s ads — and I’ve been watching all too many lately — you’ll notice a striking difference between Democratic and Republican attack ads: Democrats are attacking over personal issues, Republicans are attacking over policy.

There are, of course, many exceptions, but the overall trend is clear. Democrats are hitting their Republican opponents over past legal transgressions, shady business deals and even speeding tickets. Republicans are hammering Democrats over “Obamacare,” Nancy Pelosi and the economy.

A recent study by the Wesleyan Media Project actually quantifies this. They looked at 900,000 airing of political ads this year and concluded: “Democrats are using personal attacks at much higher rates than Republicans and a much higher rate than Democrats in 2008.”

Really, what else are Democrats to do? The vast majority refuse to run on the legislative record of the Democrat Party, some even completely disavowing it.

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9 Responses to “Democrats Running Nastiest, Most Personal Campaign Ever”

  1. […] at The Pirate’s Cove, William Teach has the 411 on the contrast between GOP and Democratic-Socialist ad themes this […]

  2. John Ryan says:

    That sure is dirty telling people that their Senator spent 10s of thousands on hookers. Did they mention also that he was into “infantilism” ? Dressing up as an infant in diapers, because I think that is something that voters should know about, because after all Republicans DO have the moral high ground as the party of “family values”

  3. Stogie says:

    John, infantilism is voting for the Democrat party. When are you going to learn that there is no Santa Claus?

  4. gitarcarver says:

    because I think that is something that voters should know about,

    Once again, the hypocrisy comes out. Aren’t the Democrats the party of “stay out of the bedroom?” Aren’t the Democrats the party of “sex between two consenting adults is acceptable?”

    The fact of the matter is Ryan that you can’t dispute the conclusion of the study, so you try to fake outrage.

  5. Tobias says:

    Are attack ads truly effective anyway?

  6. Interesting, John. When it is about Democrats, such as Clinton, we’re told that it’s “just sex,” and no one else’s business. When it is a Republican, you have to expose everything. But, hey, again, that is pretty much all your side has, since you won’t run on your record.

    Some attack ads are effective, when they are on a candidates record. Quite often, when they get personal, they fail. But, the main point is not to get voters to vote for the candidate running the ad, it is to get voters for the person the ads are being run against to decide to not vote at all. Rather than get out the vote, it is reduce the other guys voters.

  7. Maggie Mama says:

    You know the Dems have gone too far when NOW is criticizing the latest attack on a non-sexual one-night stand that Christine O’Donnell (R) was reported to have. years ago.

    From ABC News —

    “On Thursday, the gossip website Gawker published an anonymous post by a man who claims he had a one-night stand with a drunken O’Donnell on Halloween three years ago.”

    However, the anonymous creep said there WAS NO SEX. Huh? ? ?

    “The National Organization for Women (NOW) is aware of Christine O’Donnell’s political shortcomings; the organization endorsed Democrat Chris Coons earlier this week. Still, it condemned Gawker’s actions, saying the gossip site’s decision took the routine degradation of women candidates to a new low.”

    Innuendo by anonymous sources but out by liberal hacks. They are such losers.

  8. John Ryan says:

    it is because of the claim to “family values” of claiming to be morally superior. Teach the GOP is NOT any more moral than the Dems. And people just seem to find more humor in “wide stance Larry Craig” than in a lisping Barney Frank. Larry Craig is not honest about himself, Frank is now and has been since 1987 and teach back then you had to be pretty honest to admitting to be gay.

  9. Steve says:

    Following their leader who ran the MOST NEGATIVE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN in history.

    “Get in their face”
    “Iron my shirt” ((Hillary))
    “They bring a knife, we bring a gun”
    Ridiculed McCain’s disabilities.
    Gave BOTH Hillary & McCain the finger during course of the campaign.

    Steve
    Common Cents
    http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com

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