I blogged twice in recent months that this presidential election cycle would be going negative quickly, and end as perhaps the dirtiest in American political history. Well, it has begun in earnest.
The candidate who started out talking about high-minded, civil debate has wholeheartedly adopted Mr. Rove’s low-minded and uncivil playbook. In recent weeks, Mr. McCain has been waving the flag of fear (Senator Barack Obama wants to “lose” in Iraq), and issuing attacks that are sophomoric (suggesting that Mr. Obama is a socialist) and false (the presumptive Democratic nominee turned his back on wounded soldiers).
Low-Road Express [NYTimes.com]. Very different from McCain’s March internal strategy, which warned that a negative tone “could be perilous.” CBS ‘Early Show’: ‘Nasty’ McCain Ad Shows ‘Gloves Are Off’ [NewsBusters.org]. McCain’s rapid-fire boiler room answer — that Obama “started it first” — is par for the course. In return, there’s a new MoveOne.org television ad which accuses McCain of wanting to stay in Iraq without regard to what Iraqis themselves want, with the tag line “That’s not freedom.” It’s B.S. both ways from here on out.