Mudslinging is the practice of making unscrupulous, malicious attacks against an opponent, as in a political campaign. As the 2008 campaign is less than a month away mudsling is in full swing.
Personally, I don't think that mudslinging is a legitimate tactic. Downgrading another opponent only shows weakness on your side and portrays that the only way you can win is by making the other side look bad. The candidates aren't just attacking each others thoughts on issues. They also attack their personal lives but about their personal life. Too much attention is focused on these negative attacks, and the voters are being sent the wrong message. This tactic is used by the school bully. Since it should be left out of school it should be left out of the election as well. The media should take most of the blame for all the attention on mudslinging and for focusing on so much negative information. People are taken away from the real issues these candidates stand for. The only thing that results from mudslinging is misinforming the public.
Shortly after Sarah Palin was chosen as John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election, she was bombarded with negative criticism about her pregnant teenage daughter. Every news channel had a negative comment to say about how Palin's daughter was going to affect the Republican Party. The media didn't succeed in this attack because even the Democrats agreed that her daughter was an issue that should stay out of the election.
In one of Barack Obama's speeches he said, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig," The media took this out of it context and turned it into him calling Palin a pig. Obama was referencing to the quote Palin had previously said, "What is the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick!" The emphasis on Obama calling Palin a pig resulted in a decrease for support for Obama.
Currently the Republican Party is behind in the polls which has caused an increase in the mudslinging coming from their side. In a recent republican rally Palin said Obama was one who "would pal around with, and work with, a former domestic terrorist."
This attack wasn't as successful as the Republican Party would have hoped but did confuse the thinking of the public. There has been a strong focus on Obama's background. Besides Palin saying he was linked with terrorist he has also been said to be linked to the Muslim religion and to be unpatriotic, as well as having some other non presidential characteristics. A lady told McCain in a town hall style meeting that she had read about Obama and he was an Arab. McCain corrected her, but she is one of many who have received a mixed definition on who Obama really is because there are so many false stories
The public's perception of the candidates is falsified because of mudslinging and the media's need to feed off false stories revealing demeaning personal stories. The public would have an easier and more educational voting experience if the candidates would focus simply on their issues. People can relate to what they stand for but don't have the time to figure what accusation is true or stretched from the truth.
2 comments:
It's important to differentiate between mudslinging and legitamate ads about the opponent. Talking about Palin's daughter is an unnecessary attack on a person; therefore mudslinging. However, attacking Barack Obama on his relationships with Bill Ayers and Jerimiah Wright are legit because those could actually have an effect on his governance of the country.
A the ads seem to be mudslinging. I haven't seen one commercial that doesn't attack the other candidate.
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