Obama to hit McCain on Keating Five Scandal

[jfk2008]

Going negative certainly worked for Obama against Hillary Clinton - of course it helped that most of the media were happy to follow his campaign's lead.

How did his campaign go negative against Hillary Clinton?

[draiocht23]

Obama should stay the hell away from negativity - he can beat the McCain-Palin freakshow without it.

Word on the street is that Obama's campaign is populated by a lot of young Democrats made militant by the Bush years and still very, very bitter about the swift-boating of John Kerry, and are so determined not to allow it happen again that they are chomping at the bit to unleash hell on McCain.

While understandable, this is actually the wrong moment for this approach. Fact of the matter is that Palin's absolutely ludicrous "terrorist" smear on Obama was said in a different political aeon to the swift-boaters - Americans simply don't believe this crap anymore, and the Obama people should have the wisdom to see that a solid, positive, unfussy campaign is the way to go. Thankfully, and to his credit, I think the candidate himself realises this.

If a smear and dirty tricks campaign four years ago managed to besmirch Kerry's record as a distinguished Vet, don't you think it's a bit risky to take the higher moral ground now and assume that the Republican attack machine will not work - or at least do significant damage?

I think negative campaigning is beyond desperate, but then again, the blanket attack ads on American TV will have to have some impact on undecided voters - the Democrats should have learned a harsh lesson from previous campaigns.

[Demotruk]

How did his campaign go negative against Hillary Clinton?

A youtube search revealed this for me.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ04MBtAvS8]YouTube - Hillary Clinton Slams Barack Obamas Shameful Behaviour.[/ame]

[East Coast Elitist]

Got another source besides Hillary herself?

[ManOfReason]

How did his campaign go negative against Hillary Clinton?

Were you asleep during the primaries?

You can just keep dreaming that Obama is special and he doesn't play dirty - like every other successful politician. Sooner or later you will have to wake up to the fact that he is a professional politician and not the Lord Savior reincarnated.

Or maybe I'm just a racist like the Clintons and Obama is a saint?

I'm not, they're not, and he's not.

[jfk2008]

I never claimed he was a saint.

I said he didn't go negative against Hillary Clinton.

Still waiting for the evidence that he did.

[FutureTaoiseach]

Since no real malpractice was proven against McCain, I can't see this holding much water with the electorate.

[jfk2008]

Since no real malpractice was proven against McCain, I can't see this holding much water with the electorate.

Surely you're not naive enough to think that the truth matters in a 'go negative' campaign?

[FutureTaoiseach]

Surely you're not naive enough to think that the truth matters in a 'go negative' campaign?

It matters to the swing-voters.

[jfk2008]

It matters to the swing-voters.

I think you'll find most swing voters have more pressing issues on their minds:

US 'Swing State' Voters Face Economic Woes
By VOA News
01 October 2008
The candidates are campaigning heavily in these so-called battleground states, such as Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Voters there cite a number of concerns, including joblessness, mortgage foreclosures and lack of affordable healthcare, as decisive voting issues.

In the Midwestern swing state of Michigan, recent mass automaker layoffs and an ailing manufacturing base have contributed to the economic woes.

Voters in Florida also cite the worsening U.S. economy as a crucial election issue. Residents of the diverse southeastern U.S. state have been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis.

Immigration also has been a divisive issue in the presidential campaign. Both Senators McCain and Obama are actively courting Hispanic voters, who represent a critical voting bloc in battleground states such as Florida, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.

In the Midwestern state of Ohio, a pivotal battleground in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, voters say the candidates' responses to the financial crisis represents a top concern.

VOA News - US 'Swing State' Voters Face Economic Woes