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Bush, George W.

Presidential Campaign Reaches New Level of Mean-Spiritedness

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the presidential election nears its conclusion, both the Democratic and Republican parties are engaging in increasingly negative campaign tactics, including inflammatory telephone calls to voters and television spots that portray their opponents in a harsh light. The tactics, used by both sides, aim to mobilize partisans and create doubt among undecided voters about the opposition. The campaigns, aware of voter disgust with personal attacks, are becoming more aggressive in accusing each other of negativity.

Key Takeaways:

  • Both the Democratic and Republican parties are engaging in negative campaign tactics, including inflammatory telephone calls to voters and television spots that portray their opponents in a harsh light.
  • The Democratic Party in Michigan placed thousands of calls to voters with recorded messages from two women relating stories of death and illness in Governor Bush's Texas, while a Republican group planned to begin running commercials showing footage of Ralph Nader attacking Mr. Gore's environmental record.
  • The campaigns, aware of voter disgust with personal attacks, are becoming more aggressive in accusing each other of negativity, with each side seeking to portray the other as the one dragging the campaign into the mud.
  • Attack advertisements from outside groups are multiplying, with one commercial from the Republican Leadership Council using Mr. Nader's words against Mr. Gore and another from a Texas group backing Mr. Bush modeling its spot on the notorious "Daisy" commercial from 1964.
  • The "Daisy" commercial, which drew furious condemnation from the Gore campaign, was withdrawn after Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's chief strategist, asked that it be pulled, and the nonprofit organization Aretino Industries agreed to take the commercial off the air.
  • Meanwhile, the Michigan Democratic Party's telephone calls, which were denounced by Republicans as "despicable," were defended by Democratic officials as "real people leaving a message that is not scary."
  • Ed Asner, an actor, recorded a phone message for the Democrats warning listeners that Mr. Bush's plans for reforming Social Security could threaten "current benefits," while a Texas woman, Ann Friday, implied in another call that Mr. Bush's failure to improve nursing home care in Texas contributed to the death of her husband.
  • Ralph Nader's campaign criticized the advertisement using his words against Mr. Gore, saying it failed to mention Mr. Bush's equally poor environmental record.

Statistics:

  • The Michigan Democratic Party placed thousands of calls to voters with recorded messages from two women relating stories of death and illness in Governor Bush's Texas.
  • A Republican group planned to begin running commercials showing footage of Ralph Nader attacking Mr. Gore's environmental record in states like Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin.
  • A Texas group backing Mr. Bush spent $60,000 on the initial purchase of television time for the "Daisy" commercial.
  • The commercial was withdrawn after Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's chief strategist, asked that it be pulled, and the nonprofit organization Aretino Industries agreed to take the commercial off the air.

Sources:

  • "From Inflammatory Telephone Calls to Voters by Allies of Vice President Al Gore, to Incendiary New Television Spots by Supporters of Gov. George W. Bush..." - The New York Times, [November 5, 2000]
  • "Aretino Industries, a Nonprofit Organization, Produced the 'Daisy' Commercial" - The New York Times, [November 5, 2000]
  • "Ralph Nader's Campaign Criticizes Advertisement Using His Words Against Mr. Gore" - The New York Times, [November 5, 2000]
  • "Ed Asner Records Phone Message for the Democrats Warning Listeners About Mr. Bush's Plans for Social Security" - The New York Times, [November 5, 2000]

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