Sometimes Bad Is Good

I'm not sure how much the attacks on Howard Dean's criticism of Medicare had to do with his third-place showing in Iowa. On the one hand, polling data indicate that health care was a major issue for caucus participants. On the other hand, Dick Gephardt, the main candidate trying to portray Dean as a menace to Medicare, did so badly that he dropped out of the race.

Gephardt's attack ad did have an impact on me, however: It made me like Dean more. "How much do you really know about Howard Dean?" the announcer asked. "Did you know Howard Dean called Medicare 'one of the worst federal programs ever'?" Hmm, I thought, maybe that Dean is not as bad as I thought.

It's tempting to view negative ads as the best source of reasons to vote for the people they attack: He wants to slash entitlement spending! He's against gun control! He said the Department of Education should be abolished!

Unfortunately, the guy is never as good as the attack ads make him out to be.

Comments

[Neb Okla]

Supposedly Dean was mis-quoted. He really loves Medicare.

If you follow the link, you can see the ad video - and a brief transcript.

Interesting quote from Gephardt:
"I?m Dick Gephardt. That?s why I approved this message."

Interesting wording since the law requires the candidate to approve ads.

Did he approve it because he approves - or because he's Dick Gephardt, and that's who the law says has to approve it. 🙂

[JayD]

"Supposedly Dean was mis-quoted. He really loves Medicare."

Damn...he almost had my vote.

[JDM]

"Unfortunately, the guy is never as good as the attack ads make him out to be."

I'm with Kevin. Probably the best line ever by a Hit & Run blogger.

[StMack]

I covered about 5 other possible reasons for Dean's Iowa results over here. They include, the Media Bias Theory, The Howard Dean Theory, The Al Gore Kiss of Death Theory, The Voter Theory, The Conspiracy Theory, and the WWE Smackdown Raw Theory.

This seems to fall under The Howard Dean Theory.

[Russ D]

Well said, Jacob. The attacks are usually the only substantive thing in the ads.

[Kevin Carson]

That last sentence is a classic.

[Jennifer]

If memory serves me, didn't Bush the First and Dukakis come in third in their Iowa primaries? I don't think Iowa is a good representation of the American demographic.