Steve Forbes is filling airwaves with ads that go after George W. Bush on taxes. Bush is bristling back. Orrin Hatch is airing a 28-minute denunciation of President Clinton. Interest groups are taking their agendas to the airwaves, slamming candidates who don't agree with them. And Al Gore, who promised Wednesday to run a positive campaign, is readying an ad that at least subtly jabs Bill Bradley on farm policy, suggesting the vice president is the lone candidate who cares about farmers.
Voters say they want a positive discussion of issues, and early ads have been mostly positive.
But with just 12 days until the first votes are cast, the campaign for president was starting to take a nastier turn. The fact that voters say they don't like negative ads doesn't mean they don't work. Fearing a backlash, candidates promise to stay positive. Just days ago, his campaign was taping footage for a sharply worded ad showing people on the street criticizing John McCain's tax plan. Then Bush and McCain agreed during a debate to forgo negative ads.