Republicans desperate and out of ideas... except for one

[techweenie]

They can't stand on their record, so they're reaching for the slime. Again.

In a Pivotal Year, GOP Plans to Get Personal
Millions to Go to Digging Up Dirt on Democrats

By Jim VandeHei and Chris Cillizza
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, September 10, 2006; Page A01

Republicans are planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable financial war chest over the final 60 days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies, GOP officials said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, which this year dispatched a half-dozen operatives to comb through tax, court and other records looking for damaging information on Democratic candidates, plans to spend more than 90 percent of its $50 million-plus advertising budget on what officials described as negative ads.

---------------article link---------------
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/09/AR2006090901079.html

[Tobra]

Both sides go negative because it works. True in practically every election in this country. It is a shame, but it is not news.

The Democrats have plenty of pitches, only they are really all the same.

Vote for us, anybody but Bush would be better.

[fintstone]

I guess if the democrats were honest men (and women) they would have nothing to fear.

[Moneyguy1]

The same can be said about the Republicans.

Both have sufficient skeletons in their respective closets.

Problem is, sleaze sells. Issues are irrelevant.

[kach22i]

I thought the latest public opinion held that negative ads typicaly backfire?

[techweenie]

Originally posted by kach22i
I thought the latest public opinion held that negative ads typicaly backfire?

The surveys say that negative ads reduce voter turnout. That's something the Republicans are desperately hoping for in November.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Doesn't matter. It's just another tactic in election politicking. If you think you can out-spend your opponent, it might well be to one's advantage to launch a negative ad campaign - if you opponent reciprocates, you force them to spend their money more quickly. If not, you get a "free shot".

As with most things in politics, the public doesn't factor in at all - only accrual of power and money does. This is obvious right from the getgo of a political campaign before "Candidate X" even gets elected.

[Moneyguy1]

Negative ads are the most remembered. Positives are, according to polls, easily "tuned out". Think about TV pitchmen: Billy Mays has the most annoying, grating, obnoxious voice on the tube, but everyone knows who he is and what he hawks.

[Superman]

Originally posted by techweenie
The surveys say that negative ads reduce voter turnout. That's something the Republicans are desperately hoping for in November.

This is something I have always found amusing, and particularly so in light of the common view here that the conservative party is the "party of the common people." Fact is, and all politicos know and accept this, is that the lower the voter turnout, the better the result for Republicans. The higher the voter turnout, overall, the better for the Democratic candidates.

Hmmmmm........

[cmccuist]

That low turnout favors the GOP is a myth. The last presidential election had extremely high turnout for a national election and went just fine for the Republicans. It's all about getting the base out in droves.

And as far as spending - if your message is weak, or you have a grating personality no amount of money will help. That's why Hillary's numbers go up when she shuts up.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
The same can be said about the Republicans.

Both have sufficient skeletons in their respective closets.

Problem is, sleaze sells. Issues are irrelevant.

There is sleaze to find because most politicians are sleazy. Get rid of government, if not 100% then pick your percentage, and you'll get rid of a like amount of sleaze.

Government is really a pack of the lowest common denominators.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally posted by techweenie
The National Republican Congressional Committee, which this year dispatched a half-dozen operatives to comb through tax, court and other records looking for damaging information on Democratic candidates, plans to spend more than 90 percent of its $50 million-plus advertising budget on what officials described as negative ads.

Wow, a half dozen "operatives". Sounds like an all-out, take-no-prisoners, damn-the-torpedos-full-speed-ahead approach to me. What this tells me is they don't plan on having to put much effort into this.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by cmccuist
national election and went just fine for the Republicans.

WTF?

[john70t]

Nothing like fair and open elections to symbolize a democracy, huh?
The 'ol cliche- "if you have nothing to hide..."

[Rodeo]

Who's Billy Mays?