Defining a "negative ad".

[rdean]

I was watching charts being put up about the money spent on "negative ads". leading up to this election.

Are some ads called negative even if they are truthful?

Examples:

If you ran an ad that the GOP wanted to end Medicare and Social Security, that would be considered negative even though it's been their position since those programs were started. Or you pointed out that Republicans are blocking health care for millions of Americans. Or the GOP threatened to cut off unemployment benefits for millions of Americans if the president didn't extend the Bush Tax Cuts for the super wealthy. Or the GOP blocked the investigation of BP after that oil rig explosion that killed nearly a dozen people and swamped the Gulf with oil. All of these are true, but still considered negative ads.

These are all put in the same category as Benghazi and Fast and Furious and the so called IRS scandal. Completely made up scandals. In fact, the Fast and Furious "scandal" is even more complicated and ridiculous than the "Obama Birther Scandal".

I think this all goes back to Republicans getting a pass on their nuttiness. When true GOP positions are reported, it suddenly become too partisan. Because the truth is "partisan"?

 

[Mac1958]

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"If MY side runs a negative ad, it's okay. If THEY do it, it's bad."

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[sameech]

I was watching charts being put up about the money spent on "negative ads". leading up to this election.

Are some ads called negative even if they are truthful?

Examples:

If you ran an ad that the GOP wanted to end Medicare and Social Security, that would be considered negative even though it's been their position since those programs were started. Or you pointed out that Republicans are blocking health care for millions of Americans. Or the GOP threatened to cut off unemployment benefits for millions of Americans if the president didn't extend the Bush Tax Cuts for the super wealthy. Or the GOP blocked the investigation of BP after that oil rig explosion that killed nearly a dozen people and swamped the Gulf with oil. All of these are true, but still considered negative ads.

These are all put in the same category as Benghazi and Fast and Furious and the so called IRS scandal. Completely made up scandals. In fact, the Fast and Furious "scandal" is even more complicated and ridiculous than the "Obama Birther Scandal".

I think this all goes back to Republicans getting a pass on their nuttiness. When true GOP positions are reported, it suddenly become too partisan. Because the truth is "partisan"?

I disagree with you on two of those 3. Do you think the GOP just "made up" a dead ambassador or that the border patrol agent was fictionally killed with a gun the ATF sold to gun shops?

Besides all that, a negative ad is any ad that mentions their opponent instead of themselves in somebody's eyes or another.