Negative ads

A few weeks ago, I heard a candidate for office say he did not want to run any negative ads against his opponent, but he had some ready to go in case one of his opponents did. About a week later, I got some junk mail attacking this candidate. I don't want to tell his name, but I can say he likes ketchup.

So Tuesday morning I turn on the tv while I get my kids up and out the door for school, and I see a negative ad from Mr. Ketchup against one of opponents.

I have no idea who fired first. All I know is I saw the negative ads. People say they don't like them, but they work. And you do have to have them in reserve.

Back in the 1980s when I was covering Lawrence County, the day before Election Day one candidate unleashed a barrage of negative ads against his opponent. The guy on the receiving end didn't have anything to counter with, and it was too late to reserve air time and produce a commercial, so he was sunk. And he sank.

Negative ads -- don't go out campaigning without at least one in your back pocket.

P.S. Mr. Ketchup's primary strategy with his political ads was to build name recognition elsewhere in the state where people had not heard of him. Apparently it worked.