NYT - For Top Candidates, TV Ads Smile, but Mailings Snarl

[maddezmom]

January 12, 2004
THE TACTICS
For Top Candidates, TV Ads Smile, but Mailings Snarl
By JIM RUTENBERG

DES MOINES, Jan. 11 — The political commercials running on television in these last days before the Iowa caucuses are an exercise in tact. The spots are rife with inspirational scenes of candidates with their adoring supporters. Swipes at opponents, if any, are veiled.

The body blows come in the mail.

"Howard Dean Tried to Deny Supporting Republican Medicare Cuts — But He Got Caught," blares one glossy mailing from Representative Richard A. Gephardt recently sent to voters. On its cover: a clench-jawed Dr. Dean with the tabloid-style headline "CAUGHT."

A mailing from Dr. Dean says Senator John Kerry is "Bad for Iowa Farmers." Mr. Gephardt and Mr. Kerry, another mailing from Dr. Dean asserts, "are running one-state campaigns" and stand no chance against President Bush.

The heavy dose of hard-hitting mailings, primarily from Mr. Gephardt and Dr. Dean, who lead in the polls here, has created a two-tiered media campaign. The one on television adheres to Iowans' oft-stated distaste for negative campaigning. The one in Democratic mailboxes plays to what strategists hope are the base political instincts of the undecided without gaining too much notice from news media referees, who could amplify the negativity.

~snip~

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/12/politics/campaigns/12MAIL.html?pagewanted=print&position=

sounds like a whole lot of junk mail to me.

[LWolf]

1. I read this.

What they say when everyone is listening is different than what they say when the cameras are turned off. Call me naive, call me idealistic, whatever. I don't think you should be one person when the world is watching, and another when the media is looking the other way.

[wndycty]

2. Has Clark sent out any negative mail?

:kick: