BY TAYLOR MARSH
Contrarian here, yet again. CNN and many others are fixated on the graph plunges
from last night’s debate. When one candidate attacks the other, the focus group
participants turn the dial down in disapprovement. Thus, CNN’s assessment is that people are “resistant” to negativity.
Wrong.
No one is doubting that people don’t like it, especially from the presidential candidate himself. Single women in a report I did
a while ago dislike it intensely. In fact, it depresses the vote.
What no one can quantify, except through election results, is whether the message
being sent is received and utilized in making the decision at the ballot box. That’s a different subject than whether closed, low number of participant focus groups reacting negatively to it prove it’s ineffective.
Look at history and who wins. Negative campaigning and messaging work many times.
Besides, McCain has no choice right now. He’s too late for new policy prescriptions, because he didn’t vote against the bailout, plus he doesn’t know the economy well enough to go after it as his main issue. So, his campaign has chosen to attack Obama on character, though just having Palin do it is making McCain look weak.
The question remains as to whether it’s too late for McCain to mix it up at this point, and if Obama has already closed
the deal.
But make no mistake about it. A good negative message about your opponent works, especially if it’s put forth with passion on a policy position as important as the economy is right now. Unfortunately, we’ve got two presidential candidates in the middle of an economic catastrophe who can’t find the passion to get angry about how we got here in the first place, while voting for the same bailout bill that doesn’t fix the problem.
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