Bush Campaign Cranks Up Attack Ads on Kerry [View All]

Bush Campaign Cranks Up Attack Ads on Kerry
By Nick Anderson, Times Staff Writer

FROM: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ads8jun08,1,2647076.story?coll=la-headlines-nation
WASHINGTON — President Bush began his television advertising campaign this year as an heir to Ronald Reagan, with images of flag-raising patriotism that harked back to the 40th president's "Morning in America" commercials of 20 years ago.

But Bush quickly shifted tactics in response to political challenges Reagan never faced. He reduced his positive TV spots to nearly a whisper and cranked up the volume on a series of slashing attacks on his Democratic challenger.

In essence, he labeled Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts an anti-Reagan, accusing him of a vision that amounted to "Twilight in America."

New data on the TV ad wars, compiled for The Times and covering the three months of advertising by Bush, Kerry and a coalition of liberal groups, illustrate the unusual intensity of the president's assault. The information also shows the extent of Kerry's effort to neutralize those attacks with a massive barrage of his own, mostly upbeat TV messages.

<SNIP>