Senate Democrats go negative early (and often)

[babylonsister]

More of this please!


Senate Democrats go negative early (and often)

By Aaron Blake


Amid growing concern over retaining their Senate majority, Democrats are skipping the pretense of running positive ads and, in many cases, taking the unusual step of going negative with their first campaign commercials.

The approach reflects a stark reality of this election cycle: going negative is the only way to turn the election from a referendum on Democratic control of Washington to a choice between two candidates. So, go negative -- early, often and hard.

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) is heeding that advice in a new ad -- his first of his general election race against Weld County prosecutor Ken Buck -- launched yesterday.

The ad features Buck -- in his own words -- questioning the constitutionality of Social Security, the Department of Education and federal student loans. Buck also says he does not support exceptions for abortions in the cases of rape or incest.

The ad is very hard-hitting and 100 percent about Buck, save the obligatory Bennet disclaimer at the start of the ad. It's also exactly what Democratic leaders are looking for.

The general rule is that a candidate uses a first ad -- or even the first few ads -- to introduce (or re-introduce) himself or herself to the electorate with a spot focused on accomplishments and personal appeal.

But that traditional strategy has gone out the window as the party has instituted an aggressive policy to define Republicans early and make the election a choice rather than a referendum.

more...

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/senate-democrats-skip-the-pret.html?wprss=thefix

[WhiteTara]

1. why would they call it "negative" instead

of pointing out the truth? More of the liberal slant to the news.

[Diamonique]

18. Whether or not it's the truth doesn't decide whether it's a negative ad.

When an ad shows somebody's bad attributes (whether true or not), it's a negative ad.

A positive ad would be showing someone's good attributes (whether true or not).

[WhiteTara]

23. thanks

I just saw a great commercial showing Blunt as the assh*le that he is, thanks to Robin Carnahan is something of a ditz herself.

[grantcart]

24. It is a 'negative ad' because its intention is to drive up your opponents

negatives rather than increasing your positives.

[Pirate Smile]

2. This is why: A Warning For Republicans, Tea Party In Nevada Poll

A Warning For Republicans, Tea Party In Nevada Poll

August 27, 2010 2:43 PM

ABC's Z. Byron Wolf reports:

A remarkable poll in the Las Vegas Review Journal today could include some warning signs for Republicans and tea party candidates and shows the slash and burn, lesser of two evils strategy being employed by Harry Reid could pay off in November.

Read the poll here.

The Senate race in Nevada is particularly contentious this year and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has gone to great lengths to paint Sharron Angle, the Tea Party backed Republican, as an out of the mainstream conservative who wants to end social security and unemployment. He’s had some help from Angle’s past comments. And her verbal greatest hits will go down in political lore – saying Reid and Democrats violate the first commandment by putting government over God, suggesting “second amendment remedies” could justify armed revolt if Reid doesn’t lose the election and more.

Voters were already fed up with Reid. And now it seems they are already a little tired of Angle.

66 percent of the people who said they would vote for Angle say they wished she was not the nominee. 68 percent of all the people polled said the same thing.

Almost 80 percent of the undecided voters said they wish Angle hadn’t won the Republican nomination. She came from behind to decisively defeat the conventional party favorite Sue Lowden and Danny Tarkanian in the primary.

Only 18 percent of the people who said they will vote for Reid said they wish there was another nominee. He edges Angle slightly – 45 percent to 44 percent if the election were held today.

Reid has long held a contentious relationship with the Review-Journal. He once said he wished they would go out of business.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x422446

Jon Ralston - big political reporter in Nevada - tweeted the following:

So funny how RJ distorting own poll results. Get survey back showing Angle hemorrhaging w/base, so try 2 mitigate w/spin. #inkind #pagingcjr
about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
Retweeted by you and 3 others

MT @lmyerslvrj: Poll: Angle, Reid voters unhappy w/ choices. http://bit.ly/9pv7hP / Not what poll says. 18% Reid voters unhappy, 66% Angle's.
about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck

[babylonsister]

3. Thank you! Dems have little time for niceties now; hit the rethugs

hard and often; point out all the negatives, and there are many.

[cyclezealot]

9. Little Late, doncha think

The Repugs have been hittin below the belt and totally negative ever since Sen. Judd Gregg refused to take the seat at the Commerce Department.

[babylonsister]

11. No, not with the short attention spans of most Americans.

This timing seems about right to me.

[Beetwasher]

21. Timing Is Perfect, Going Into Labor Day

This is when the tone for the campaigns needs to be set. People really have not been paying attention up until now and the commercials have more impact shown during the fall TV season when more people are watching.

[The Magistrate]

4. This Is How It Has To Be Done, Ma'am

There must be blood drawn....

[flamingdem]

5. +1000 or "arse kicking" as they say down under nt

[Dawson Leery]

8. +1

[Beetwasher]

20. I Am Heartened To See They May Have Learned Some Hard Lessons

At the very least, they are not caught at unawares this time around.

Good to see you around, Sir!

[dflprincess]

6. Funny how they can play tough when their own jobs are at stake

It's a pity they didn't care enough to fight when it was working & middle class jobs on the line.

[smoochpooch]

7. +1

[DemocraticPilgrim]

10. We should mroe call it going factually negative, it's more distributing facts than the fiction ...

out there. We must always call it taht on ourside.

[catgirl]

12. We need an anti-teabagger ad out there

Wrap them up into one national ad.

[babylonsister]

13. This one is pretty good, though it's a web ad; I also think

something really good needs to go national. I hope that's in the works.

DNC Web Ad: GOP Tea Party: These People Could be in Charge

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x499128

[catgirl]

14. Great ad

This should be on TV.

[old mark]

15. If Joe Sestak's add against Pat Toomey is any example, it's about time.

The ad is simply a factual account of Toomey's close ties to Wall Street, mentions that Toomey is a millionaire and that he WROTE some of the legislation that the bankers loved that led to the financial collapse.
For some reason, Toomey's people never touch on this aspect of his career...

This type of ad worked very well for Sestak against Specter, and he came from behind in that campaign as well, eventually winning all but 3 counties in the state.

I'm hoping this type of ad becomes the norm for Democrats - it appeals to everyone but the died in the wool RW idiot who would never dream of voting Democratic anyway.

President Obama, please take note.

Rec.
mark

[Hansel]

16. Playing the guy's own words is negative?

Is the writer admitting that what Buck is saying is insane?

[backscatter712]

17. Good - this seems to be what we've got to work with.

Independents and LIVs need to have it drilled into their heads that the teabaggers have completely lost their minds.

[depakid]

19. Better do this across the board

Hit 'em early, hard and often throughout the campaign.

Use their own words and actions against them.

[old mark]

22. What I have seen is not negative, rather turthful...the GOPers HATE that! nt