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October 10, 2008 3:10:40 PM CDT

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Presidential Candidates Play Too Nice

Posted Sep 16, 07 1:43 PM CDT in US,  Politics 

(Newser) – Except for a few barbs here and there, the 2008 campaign has been as polite as a tea party, and that's not a good thing, reports Reuters. Though many assume negative campaigning turns off voters, it's the negative details that stick and actually spur voters to cast a ballot, researchers say. "Democracy itself requires negativity," says one professor. "We want the right to be critical of those in power."

The candidates' decorum is partially out of thrift; the unusually early start to next year's contest has them watching their spending on ads, a traditional venue for attacking fellow candidates and highlighting differing viewpoints. But testy exchanges—Clinton calling Obama a novice on international affairs, Giuliani attacking Clinton for questioning the judgment of Gen. Petraeus—are said to help draw voters in, not turn them away.

Source Reuters

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Democratic Presidential hopefuls Sen. Barack Obama,D-Ill, left, greets Sen. Hillary Clinton,D-NY, at the conclusion of the Democratic primary debate hosted by Univision at the Bank Atlantic Center in...   (Associated Press)
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Barack Obama  • Hillary Clinton  • Election 2008  • Mitt Romney  • Rudy Giuliani  • presidential campaign


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