Bush Campaign Cranks Up Attack Ads on Kerry

[AmyStrange]

Bush Campaign Cranks Up Attack Ads on Kerry
By Nick Anderson, Times Staff Writer

FROM: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ads8jun08,1,2647076.story?coll=la-headlines-nation
WASHINGTON — President Bush began his television advertising campaign this year as an heir to Ronald Reagan, with images of flag-raising patriotism that harked back to the 40th president's "Morning in America" commercials of 20 years ago.

But Bush quickly shifted tactics in response to political challenges Reagan never faced. He reduced his positive TV spots to nearly a whisper and cranked up the volume on a series of slashing attacks on his Democratic challenger.

In essence, he labeled Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts an anti-Reagan, accusing him of a vision that amounted to "Twilight in America."

New data on the TV ad wars, compiled for The Times and covering the three months of advertising by Bush, Kerry and a coalition of liberal groups, illustrate the unusual intensity of the president's assault. The information also shows the extent of Kerry's effort to neutralize those attacks with a massive barrage of his own, mostly upbeat TV messages.

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[Spinzonner]

1. Well, at least he hasnt called him an Anti-Dentite yet

[shraby]

2. I think Kerry should stay with the

upbeat ads. It's a much better way to connect with the voters and get his message of where he wants to take the nation out to the people. Negative ads tend to concentrate attention on the opponent. We don't want to know where policy has been, we want to know were it's going.