Redstate

Somebody stole my 'Fred for President 08' bumper sticker. Took it right off the car.

As more of an average joe type of reader, I have to agree that when both sides are bashing each other, it makes both sides look awful. We grow tired of politics in general when both sides accuses the other of being evil liars and it ruins the credability of both parties. We end up not wanted anyone to win the election and being unhappy with all Government, which leads to disatisfaction with the Unites States in General. Its hard to have American pride when our leaders are bickering like school children; and their supporters are far worse.

I'm not sure what the solution is because people have tried to run clean campaings before and they generally get demolished by less ethical campaigns.

I disagree with the 'what goes around', 'both sides do it' position you take.
Bill Clinton was deservedly attacked because he was an embarassment, a disgrace and a proven liar. He was breaking campaign finance laws, and selling the Lincoln bedroom to the higherst bidder, he sold pardons fer heavens' sake!. Ideologically, his positions were weak and he brought the democrat party low as a result. The worst comment I can recall by an elected official about Clinton was Dan Burton calling him a scumbag, which he quickly apologized for. Given the material teh Right had to work with, I'd say that was pretty controlled. Clinton provided a reason to dislike the person. Ideologically, the R's took him apart in 94 at the ballot box - as it should be. There was no personal attack - AT ALL.
Shall we compare that to what our current crop of elected officials say about GWB?
Teddy the Hutt saying GWB lied about the war...
Stark says GWB enjoys having soldiers killed....
Reid calling Bush a loser...
The utter disrespect of the office of the President.
I could go on but you know the story. Let's not even discuss Cheney or Rumsfeld or Rice (apparently 'plantation' jokes are OK if you are one of the 'enlightened').

These are are deeply personal attacks based on a hatred of thier ideology.
The Left/dems can not discredit the ideology so they are forced to discredit the person.
It does not matter who the Republican is - they will attack with the same viscious fervor. If McCain had won on 2000, does anyone actually believe the rhetoric would be any different right now (other than personalized to McCain)?

We will beat HRC because she is a coreless political machine who has only her best interests at heart. She provides no leadership on difficult issues. Like her husband before her, the only guiding princples are self interest and a quest for power.
Ask yourself this - if HRC were the Republican candidate (*shudder*) with the same background as she has now, what would the Left/dems/MSM be saying about her past? What would be the mode of attack?
Now, what is the Right saying about her on a personal level? How is/will she being challenged?

There you have the clear difference between them and us.

Mitt Romney and it's all because he's a mormon. I gotta believe that any candidate whose religious principals include the strict adherence to wearing magic undergarments has to be the fine upstanding citizen of logical design that can lead this country to moral righteousness.

That.. and he paid me $5 to write this.

The worst part about the character assassination when it comes from the DKos left is they are supposed to cherish the ideals of inclusion and difference, yet they forfeit these ideals when it comes to conservative principals. All of a sudden, the aspiration of granting everyone respect and tolerance becomes far less appealing.

This is completely true. I've seen some complete bullcrap thrown from the right and left. No one can deny that.
Those who do try to deny it are purposefully ignorant.

"Swiftboating" is a surprise political attack using questionable facts, documentation and/or suspect eyewitnesses.

It can be devastating if the victim's campaign doesn't have time and resources to counter the false or exxagerated claims.

But if these over-the-top attacks are launched too soon, the voting public is the party feeling victimized. In retaliation voters naturally sympathize with the smeared candidate.

At this early point, the candidate receiving the most attacks is gaining in public sympathy as voters resent feeling manipulated by misinformation.