The Highs And Lows Of Attack Ads

There's no disputing that the presidential campaign is turning negative - on the trail and on the television. More attack ads are being aired, and they can be very effective. But not always. Jeff Greenfield has "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly."

The Good

"Read my lips: no new taxes," George H.W. Bush said, as quoted in an ad from Bill Clinton's campaign. The ad continued: "And then passed the second-largest tax increase in history."

The best negative ads are those that quote a candidate's words - accurately - and turn them against the candidate, as with the above 1992 Clinton campaign ad. It finished: "Don't read his lips, read his record."

Or the famous "weathervane" ad from 1972, highlighting George McGovern's changes of mind. It said: "Last year ... this year ... the question is, what about next year?"

And in 2004, the Bush campaign used John Kerry's hobby to make their point.

"Where does John Kerry stand? Any way the wind blows," it said, to images of Kerry windsurfing.

The Bad: Over The Top

So what makes a bad negative ad? When it goes too far ... take the Bush '92 campaign ad which tried to present Clinton's home state of Arkansas as something out of a Stephen King novel.

"America can't afford to take that risk," it said.

And then there are ads which are either distortions or flat-out untrue, which candidates run even after fact checkers call them out.

John McCain has done it. He attached Barack Obama to "skyrocketing taxes on life savings, electricity and home heating oil." Not true.

And another ad claimed: "Obama's one accomplishment? Legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergarteners." Also an exaggeration.

McCain has said: "He voted 94 times for higher taxes." Untrue.

But so has Obama.

One ad says: "Washington sold them out with the help of people like John McCain." Another: "John McCain refused to support loan guarantees for the auto industry." That's an exaggeration.

Obama's "Promise" ad says: "McCain voted three times in favor of privatizing Social Security. Cutting benefits in half." That's also not true.

The Ugly: "Who Ya Gonna Call?"

But for this week's a jaw-dropper, here's an ad from a 2006 Congressional race, where the famous "3 a.m. phone call" argument takes on a whole new meaning.

"Who calls a fantasy sex hotline - and then bills taxpayers? Michael Arcuri," one ad said.

And, well, that candidate won.