What was the "dirtiest" presidential campaign cycle of the past 50 years?
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  What was the "dirtiest" presidential campaign cycle of the past 50 years?		 « previous next »
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Poll
Question: Beginning with 1964, ending with 2012
#1
1964		  
#2
1968		  
#3
1972		  
#4
1976		  
#5
1980		  
#6
1984		  
#7
1988		  
#8
1992		  
#9
1996		  
#10
2000		  
#11
2004		  
#12
2008		  
#13
2012		  
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Partisan results
Total Voters: 55

Author Topic: What was the "dirtiest" presidential campaign cycle of the past 50 years?  (Read 1986 times)
Snowstalker Mk. II
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« on: November 24, 2012, 09:39:25 AM »
« edited: November 24, 2012, 10:01:28 AM by Senator Snowstalker »
Now that this cycle is over. I'd still go with 1972, with 1988, 2004, and 2012 all roughly tied for second.
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Donerail
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« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2012, 09:51:13 AM »
2002: Chambliss For Senate
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Snowstalker Mk. II
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« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2012, 10:01:14 AM »

Good one, but this is presidential. Tongue
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Donerail
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« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2012, 10:45:41 AM »
« Edited: November 24, 2012, 09:41:17 PM by IDS Co-Speaker SJoyceFla »

I know, I voted '72, with '04 and '88 close runner-ups. I don't buy '12 being dirty much.
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politicus
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« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2012, 11:07:47 AM »
1988 or 2004.
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« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2012, 01:20:39 PM »
1964.
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Antonio the Sixth
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« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2012, 03:30:39 PM »
2004. Swift Boat was really disgusting.
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Stranger in a strange land
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« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2012, 04:47:56 PM »
2004, with 1988 a close second.
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Clinton1996
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« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2012, 05:23:31 PM »
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Maxwell
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« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2012, 06:06:15 PM »
72 or 88. Also 64.
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Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook
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« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2012, 06:14:44 PM »
1988
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Oldiesfreak1854
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« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2012, 07:33:16 PM »
Not sure.  I voted 1964, but my list would probably be something like this:

1. 1964
2. 1972
3. 1988
4. 2004
5. 2012

I might put 1968 in there for sixth as well.  According to Kerwin Swint (in his book Mudslingers), they are about the same as the five listed above, only his book was written before 2012 and he puts them in a slightly different order.
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Antonio the Sixth
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« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2012, 07:42:12 PM »
I didn't find 2012 to be that dirty, honestly. While the campaign messages were overwhelmingly negative, they were negative in a relatively mild way and there were few truly below-the-belt attacks.
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Cryptic
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« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2012, 08:50:45 PM »
Went with '88.  While there have been plenty of dirty campaigns, Lee Atawater's tactics take the cake.
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TNF
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« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2012, 09:36:04 PM »
1972 and 2004 are tied in terms of outright character assassination of McGovern/Kerry.

1988 probably gets third, in my book.

2012 wasn't that bad. Everything Obama said about Romney was essentially true. Everything Romney said about Obama was obvious BS, but of course, this is Mitt Romney we're talking about.
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Oldiesfreak1854
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« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2012, 12:13:00 PM »
Quote from: Fillon, laisse pas béton ! on November 24, 2012, 07:42:12 PM
I didn't find 2012 to be that dirty, honestly. While the campaign messages were overwhelmingly negative, they were negative in a relatively mild way and there were few truly below-the-belt attacks.
Agreed.  Probably one of the few things we agree on.
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MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!
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« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2012, 05:17:49 PM »
1988, hands down.
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Kalwejt
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« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2012, 05:19:01 PM »
Also, whenever I hear "this is the dirtiest campaign ever"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLj6yY4P_Rg
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Oldiesfreak1854
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« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2012, 06:00:57 PM »
Agreed.
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stegosaurus
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« Reply #19 on: November 25, 2012, 09:20:06 PM »
I agree with the consensus that 2012 wasn't particularly dirty as much as negative. A few high-lights from 2004:
  • Swift Boat Veterans
  • Fear mongering with Terrorism
  • Bush Campaign charged with Racism by RacismWatch
  • Democrats openly suing Nader off the ballot for electoral reasons
  • Bush is accused of deserting the Texas Air National Guard, "evidence" proves to be shoddy at best.
  • The conveniently timed Osama bin Laden video

2012 was relatively mild. "my opponent is rich and out of touch", "my opponent is very, very, very liberal". Meh. You could make a case for the "Romney may be a felon" and the "War on Women"...but this still is pretty tame compared to the above.
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Snowstalker Mk. II
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« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2012, 09:44:56 PM »
Quote from: stegosaurus on November 25, 2012, 09:20:06 PM
I agree with the consensus that 2012 wasn't particularly dirty as much as negative. A few high-lights from 2004:
  • Swift Boat Veterans
  • Fear mongering with Terrorism
  • Bush Campaign charged with Racism by RacismWatch
  • Democrats openly suing Nader off the ballot for electoral reasons
  • Bush is accused of deserting the Texas Air National Guard, "evidence" proves to be shoddy at best.
  • The conveniently timed Osama bin Laden video

2012 was relatively mild. "my opponent is rich and out of touch", "my opponent is very, very, very liberal". Meh. You could make a case for the "Romney may be a felon" and the "War on Women"...but this still is pretty tame compared to the above.

The worst thing about 2012 was probably that welfare ad (which was nothing more than race-baiting). However, compared to some other years, it wasn't too bad.
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stegosaurus
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« Reply #21 on: November 25, 2012, 10:16:10 PM »
Quote from: Senator Snowstalker on November 25, 2012, 09:44:56 PM
Quote from: stegosaurus on November 25, 2012, 09:20:06 PM
I agree with the consensus that 2012 wasn't particularly dirty as much as negative. A few high-lights from 2004:
  • Swift Boat Veterans
  • Fear mongering with Terrorism
  • Bush Campaign charged with Racism by RacismWatch
  • Democrats openly suing Nader off the ballot for electoral reasons
  • Bush is accused of deserting the Texas Air National Guard, "evidence" proves to be shoddy at best.
  • The conveniently timed Osama bin Laden video

2012 was relatively mild. "my opponent is rich and out of touch", "my opponent is very, very, very liberal". Meh. You could make a case for the "Romney may be a felon" and the "War on Women"...but this still is pretty tame compared to the above.

The worst thing about 2012 was probably that welfare ad (which was nothing more than race-baiting). However, compared to some other years, it wasn't too bad.

Though the attacks were inaccurate, there is nothing intrinsically racist about going attacking from the right on welfare.
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DemPGH
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« Reply #22 on: November 25, 2012, 10:20:24 PM »
Yeah, there was some really vile mud-throwing in 2004 - some of it got carried really too far in the wake of 9/11. Nasty election, I voted 2004. Democrats largely stood around like, "Are they really saying that stuff?" Yep.

I actually read Hunter S. Thompson's On The Campaign Trail '72 a number of years ago, so I was tempted to vote '72, but it's 2004, IMO.
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« Reply #23 on: November 25, 2012, 10:35:41 PM »

I always love re-watching this.
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Oldiesfreak1854
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« Reply #24 on: November 26, 2012, 04:41:42 PM »
« Edited: November 26, 2012, 04:45:33 PM by Oldiesfreak1854 »
Consider these, people:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUMzswnBh4M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-VzZQGWOqA&feature=endscreen&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ2I0t_Twk0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU3aT6P1bew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4LhCc0y0t4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpxmYvlLKXo&bpctr=1353967043 --There was actually a warning when I viewed this one about potentially offensive content.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUiAJbxibiU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmwhdDv8VrM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC9j6Wfdq3o&feature=endscreen&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApI0bv2CS90
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfmPm2Hyk5A0 --This one is a personal favorite of mine, even though it's a Democratic ad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xov0PWCm_vc

And who could forget this classic?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Id_r6pNsus

These should keep you guys busy for a while.
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