Keller @ Large: The Negative Campaign To End All Negative Campaigns
BOSTON (CBS) - Here we go with the much anticipated and widely dreaded Clinton-Trump showdown, and as it stands right now, this is not shaping up to be a campaign about ideas, party loyalty, or demographics.
This will likely be the negative campaign to end all negative campaigns because the voters are in a foul mood, made worse by the sight of the two presumptive major-party nominees. According to a new CNN poll, a majority of both Clinton and Trump voters say it's not about the candidate they support - it's about abhorrence of the other candidate.
Voters always claim they don't like negative ads, but you and I both know that's the politically correct thing to say, not the truth. Be honest - how many times have you gone into the booth and voted against rather than for someone?
It's a hallmark of modern-day politics. That's why candidates work so hard to define their opponent as a risky, dishonest swine who wants to empty your wallet, throw you out into the snow, and step on your wounded body on their way out.
That's what we're going to see here.
Both Clinton and Trump are known quantities, and roughly 80-percent of the voters have already made up their minds about them. The battle will be over the remaining 20-percent, relatively casual, low-information voters who haven't paid enough attention to form a decision.
Into their fertile minds, the campaigns will pour an avalanche of appalling claims about each other. We'll do our best here to help your sort out the truth from the chaff, but if you think this race is gross so far, you have not seen anything yet.
