Saw a story, I think on CNN, over the weekend that basically concluded that Obama and McCain have both run roughly the same number of negative ads. Not sure if that was in terms of raw numbers or percentages vs. positive ads, but there ya go. That doesn't necessarily surprise me, especially if it's comparing raw numbers, i.e., minutes of airtime.
Here's the thing, though -- McCain's campaign feels much more negative -- in fact, I don't think it's close. It's one thing to say, "So and so voted against this, or for that" but I think the McCain ads as a group have been much more personal. It almost seems like there ought to be three categories of ads this year:
1. Positive ads
2. Attack ads, issue-based
3. Attack ads, character-based.
Have a feeling we'd see a yawning gap on number 3 if they were broken down that way.
Here's the thing, though -- McCain's campaign feels much more negative -- in fact, I don't think it's close. It's one thing to say, "So and so voted against this, or for that" but I think the McCain ads as a group have been much more personal. It almost seems like there ought to be three categories of ads this year:
1. Positive ads
2. Attack ads, issue-based
3. Attack ads, character-based.
Have a feeling we'd see a yawning gap on number 3 if they were broken down that way.
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