The negative Presidential campaign ads aren’t quite as thick on the airwaves as four years ago. University of Missouri-Columbia professor of communication Bill Benoit says 42% of the statements in this year’s ads are negative, compared to 53% in 1996. The candidates this year are also talking more about issues, rather than character. He notes supporters of George W. Bush and Al Gore are starting to get more negative down the stretch. Since late September, the number of attacks in DNC ads has climbed to 75%, it’s up to 50% in RNC ads. The individual campaigns ads’ are quite a bit milder.
