Democrats, and their cohorts in the media, love to accuse Republicans of “going negative” and “not talking about the issues”; that is, until issues aren’t on their side. Two cases in point – the New Jersey and Virginia governors’ races.
New Jersey -
Gov. John Corzine (D-NJ) has a record that any self-respecting politician would be ashamed of. Unemployment is the highest it’s been in a generation. Property taxes are spiraling out of control. Is Corzine talking about how he’ll help make New Jersey better IF voters are stupid enough to re-elect him? Absolutely not!
Virginia -
Things aren’t any better below the Mason-Dixon line. GOP standard bearer Bob McDonnell has run an issues based campaign centered on bringing jobs to Virginia and not raising taxes. His opponent, Creigh Deeds, seems capable of only piping in “ME TOO” on issues and smearing McDonnell’s character.
Deeds’s biggest issue to date has been Bob McDonnell’s thesis paper:
This shouldn’t be surprising given that Deeds wants to raise taxes and even supports Obama administration policies which will close a large employer in his own senatorial district – costing 1,400 Virginians their jobs:
No, issues need only be discussed when they promote a statist agenda.
from Delmarva Dealings
5 comments:
The reason they can't discuss issues is, they are the issue.
You guys are delusional if you think that negative ads and smear campaigns are unique to dems. No wonder you complain about your own Republican party not following it's constituency. They can fool you into believing whatever they want whenever it is convenient.
Anon 1210 -
NO WHERE did I claim that negative advertising is unique to Democrats. That wasn't the point.
Democrats love to whine "Talk about the issues" until they need to go negative. In Virginia you have Democrat candidates who are running almost laughable campaigns. They can't talk about any issues, so they go negative.
In New Jersey you have a Democrat incumbent with a record that is beyond disgraceful. He obviously can't talk about his own record, so he's going negative.
I don't have a problem with going negative. I have a problem with hypocrisy. It's a shame you don't give your name. I would love to remind you of this the next time we hear Dems whine.
Harrison, my point is why do you expect either side not to be negative and then whine when the other side goes negative? It's politics. The reason why they can and do get away with it is because idealogues on the left and right will always believe that their side is right and the other side is out to destroy us. Everything is black and white, with no grey areas and the truth is almost always lost somewhere in the debate.
You're kidding me, right?
I have NEVER claimed that there shouldn't be negative politics. As a veteran of three national races (four if you count my volunteer stint for Reagan in '76), as well as numerous statewide, congressional and legislative races I well know how effective negative advertising can be.
I just don't hear Republicans whining about "sticking to the issues". That seems to be reserved to people on the Democrat side. I'm sure that there are isolated examples, but that one has become a liberal cliche heard almost as often as "It's for the children".
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