We’re pleased to present what will be a reoccurring election feature here at Legal Insurrection — Today in Political Attack Ads. As long as the mud is flying, you’ll find it here.
Political attack ads are as old and colorful as America. To our cultural credit, negative ads are far less personal these days. “John Adams is a hideous hermaphroditicly character with neither the force or firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman,” claimed Thomas Jefferson (one of my personal favorites).
“Do you want to see your dwelling in flames?! Female chastity violated?! Children writhing on a pike!! Well that’s what will happen if you vote for Thomas Jefferson!” warned John Adams.
Back in 2010, Reason put together a video chronicling some of the best campaign rhetoric from the election of 1800.
Which leads us to our first edition of: Today in Political Attack Ads
Attackee: Ted Cruz
Attacker: Donald Trump
Trump’s ad calling Cruz, “the worst kind of Washington insider who just can’t be trusted,” was running in South Carolina…
Until Trump decided to pull the ads and focus on positive messaging:
WASHINGTON– GOP front-runner Donald Trump has pulled a Ted Cruz attack ad from the South Carolina air waves, as his campaign shift to an all positive strategy, first reported by The Wall Street Journal….Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski decided to go with only positive ads starting Thursday. Lewandowski said positive ads worked in New Hampshire, a primary Trump won in landslide, 20 points ahead of the closest competition.
Attackee: Donald Trump
Attacker: Ted Cruz
This makes Cruz’s second attack on Trump’s penchant for eminent domain this week. The ad hits Trump’s, “pattern of sleaze.”
Attackee: Marco Rubio
Attacker: Ted Cruz
I’m not sure perpetuating mental health stigmas and mocking group therapy in order to score points amnesty points is the best way to make your point, but here we are.
The plot thickens… again. The Daily Caller suggested the ad features an adult film star:
Is Amy Lindsay, featured in films such as Kinky Sex Club, Milf, Carnal Wishes and Sex Sent Me to the ER staring in Sen. Ted Cruz 97%‘s latest campaign ad entitled “Conservatives Anonymous”In the ad, the female in question says, “Maybe you should vote for more than just a pretty face next time.”
And the Cruz campaign responded:
[After posting, the campaign removed the ad from it’s YouTube channel. The above link is the same ad from a different channel.]
Attackee: Ted Cruz
Attacker: American Future Fund
“Ted Cruz’s talk is cheap,” said the PAC ad, which goes on to compare Cruz to Bernie Sanders.
Follow Kemberlee on Twitter @kemberleekaye
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