Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat
In the most recent Democratic gubernatorial primary in NC, after months of mudslinging, one candidate said "no more." While her opponent continued to sling mud, she didn't -- she talked about her positions and her agenda. Certainly, it could be argued that she wouldn't have done it had she not already had a comfortable lead (she had held a strong lead in the polls that had been whittled away), but the fact is she trounced her opposition and gots lots of praise for "going clean."
We'll see what happens between now and November.
Or worse, depending on how you look at it. (And I look at it as one who came of age with Jesse Helms and the Congressional Club.) I'm not sure that being better at calumny is really something to aspire to.
And I have no problem with this if it's done honestly and above-board. What I have witnessed all to often (again, Jesse Helms, the Congressional Club and others) is that it is anything but honest and above-board -- it is done by twisting words, by misrepresenting the facts and by playing to fears and prejudices. And (sorry Shinerbock) I think it represents the worst form of political machinations -- the idea that the American people must be lied to and mislead in order to protect them from themselves and to "save the Republic." I find that much more frightening than the prospect of a very liberal or very conservative president.
It always makes me wonder if the candidate really doesn't believe that he can (or should) be elected on his own merit.
|
I think what makes is complicated is the perception of media bias on both sides. When people come to feel that they can't expect to be treated fairly by the press and feel the public is already being manipulated, I suspect it makes it easier to want to manipulate them yourself for your own ends.
I keep waiting to see what the influence of the internet ends up being. What it seems to be to me now is that it motivates and "informs" the already committed (and maybe even extremist) but may not have that much influence on a big section of voters who now simply choose to watch TV channels which already reflect their views.
ETA: This was interesting:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/publ..._election_2008