GOP More 'Negative'
By Brian Faler and Paul Farhi
[Excerpts]
The study, by University of Missouri professor William L. Benoit, found
that during much of the last half-century, Republican presidential
candidates have aimed a larger proportion of their attacks at their
opponents' character -- their honesty, integrity, leadership skills --
than their Democratic rivals.
Benoit found that in television campaign ads aired between 1952 and
2000, for example, GOP candidates focused 44 percent of their attacks on
such personal issues. Democrats did so about 33 percent of the time.
In 2000, the Bush campaign focused 43 percent of its attacks on Al Gore
-- in television ads, debates and speeches -- on issues of character,
while the former vice president devoted 16 percent of his attacks to
such issues.