What do you think aboput negative campaigns - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MS Fowler · #1 06-30-2011, 06:04 PM

The conventional wisdom around PP and most places is that people do not like negative campaigns.
I am betting that is not true. What people hate is when the other side engages in negative campaigning. When my side does it, it is simply truth-telling.
I am betting that politics will win out over any aversion to theoretical negative campaigning in the up-coming Presidential race. The early prognostications are that Obama will go hard negative, early and often. My bet is that Obama supporters will not be deterred in the least.
So, before the real campaigning begins, and this is all theoretical, I am asking what you all think.
Is the so-called aversion to negative campaigning real, or simply politics as usual?

tjts1 · #2 06-30-2011, 06:08 PM

Has a campaign add ever changed your mind about anything?

Anybody?

MS Fowler · #3 06-30-2011, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

Has a campaign add ever changed your mind about anything?

Anybody?

Why would campaigns spend Millions $$ to make ads if they had no effect?

For principled people from any part of the political spectrum, I doubt if ads have any effect.
For those who do not pay attention until they drive to the polling place, maybe they have some effect.

SwampYankee · #4 06-30-2011, 06:18 PM

Like the polling numbers reflect, I don't like them but they must be effective.

The Clk Man · #5 07-01-2011, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

Has a campaign add ever changed your mind about anything?

Anybody?

Every time I see your screen name, it looks like it says tits.

davidmash · #6 07-01-2011, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

Has a campaign add ever changed your mind about anything?

Anybody?

Campaigning is advertising which is selling. Companies do not spend millions/billions on add campaigns just for the sake of blowing money. They will put their adds in front of test audiences to see their reaction. They uses science and psychology to sell products. Certain colors for me and others for women, same with shapes.

The adds do work on the people they are intended to work on.

leathermang · #7 06-30-2011, 06:15 PM

I think the research is that people say they do not like them..
but politicians keep doing it because it is effective....

Honus · #8 06-30-2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

...The early prognostications are that Obama will go hard negative, early and often...

Isn't awful how negative those darn Democrats are?

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/10/25/126242/mcconnell-obama-one-term/

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/01/20/35012/limbaugh-obama-fail/

http://www.birthers.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgce06Yw2ro

MTUpower · #9 06-30-2011, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honus

Isn't awful how negative those darn Democrats are?

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And faster than anyone could blink, think or turn on the lights Honus goes right to the teflon double negative: "I'm only negative 'cus you are and you did it first...".

Honus · #10 06-30-2011, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTUpower

And faster than anyone could blink, think or turn on the lights Honus goes right to the teflon double negative: "I'm only negative 'cus you are and you did it first...".

I never said any such thing. My point was that it was silly for MS Fowler to single out Obama in this thread about negative campaigning. I find it hard to believe that you would find my point to be controversial, although I admit that my previous post left room for you to come up with an insulting reply. My bad.

MS Fowler · #11 07-01-2011, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honus

I never said any such thing. My point was that it was silly for MS Fowler to single out Obama in this thread about negative campaigning. I find it hard to believe that you would find my point to be controversial, although I admit that my previous post left room for you to come up with an insulting reply. My bad.

I really was not singling him out. I was using the assumption by some political types that he will go negative as a jump-off point for the discussion.

BobK · #12 07-01-2011, 07:47 AM

Somewhere in the negative campaigns is at least a sliver of truth about the target. I surely don't expect candidate "X" to come out and say the bad things he is or has done. That is the job of other guy. Of course, when the other guy says "X raised taxes (or any other action you don't like) every year he held some office, I expect candidate "X" to complain that the other guy is just going negative. Really, what other response can you put up if the other guy is in fact telling a truth about you? Campaigns have been nasty, negative affairs as long as the US has existed (and longer, really). I just look at all the information and try to discern the truth of the matter.

PaulC · #13 06-30-2011, 06:34 PM

Good news is boring and puts the reader/viewer to sleep. Bad news may be discomfiting to the viewer, but it sure attracts attention. Campaign carnage raises the visibility of both candidates. The tricky part of executing such a strategy is ensuring that the populace regards the recipient of the mud slinging as the less-electable douchebag.

tjts1 · #14 06-30-2011, 06:42 PM

So whats it like to know for a fact that Obama will get reelected? I'm looking at the right winger perspective here. Are you angry, sad, in denial? Are you mad at your own candidates for making fools of themselves? Which is it?

Jorn · #15 06-30-2011, 07:01 PM

With the billions spent on them I think they are very good for the economy.