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Do negative political ads work?

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    A look at mudslinging in presidential race

  • Duration 5:56
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If you don't live in one of those hotly contested swing states you might not have seen some of the mud that is flying around on the television ads and also the -- name in -- act.

A fears ad war waged this presidential election cycle.

Well this week the barrage of negative negative messages intensified here are two ads.

One attacking President Obama the other attacking governor Romney and both raising eyebrows watch.

I was not -- Huge supporter of the federal plan that was signed at -- -- six.

I would not probably have supported.

Bill that was passed.

When -- remain closed -- lost my health care.

And in my family lost their health care and short time after that my wife became ill.

So let's talk about these couple of ads with Monica Crowley -- radio talk show host she's the blonde on your screen junior against.

A former political advisor -- democratic senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey the Burnett.

Both are Fox News contributors so you have.

Mitt Romney attacking president ball President Obama for his desire to change all welfare requirements.

You have.

The Obama.

-- super pac attacking.

The Obama supporting super backed to be clear attacking.

And Mitt Romney and and suggesting that.

He he is somehow directly responsible for this woman's cancer death your reaction.

Well if you set aside the contents of both -- the reality is that negative advertising in politics does work and we hear about this every election cycle about how the American people are just so over -- they're sick of that they want positive messaging.

-- -- positive messaging is critical because you want voters to have a positive compelling reason to vote for you rather than just against the other guy.

The reality is that negative advertising does work because what it does is create the narrative -- to a story line about the other candidate.

That will make you sort of repelled from voting for that person so it does work and that's why you're gonna see even more of this going forward you're nodding your head you know Monica that's clear right look -- do this for a living and I'll tell you.

People keep complaining we hate negative.

-- were so sick of the noise but the bottom line is there's a reason why we do this and the reason is that it doesn't work would they do is they take a whole bunch and that's the cut -- five or six that's for everyone there.

The test them and these tests which one of the most effective and I guarantee you both the -- campaign and priorities USA which is the super pac you mentioned.

Tested four -- five bats and these happen to be the ones that moved the most independent voters I declared voters and that's why you see those -- being -- today.

But it's one thing to suggest that -- president wants to water down the welfare -- require the work requirements to get welfare.

Lot of observers say that's not exactly what he's doing.

Vs suggesting that Mitt Romney is responsible for a woman dying of cancer.

Well that's right I mean over the last couple of weeks we have seen from team Obama and his various forms whether it's it the actual Obama campaign or the super pacs.

Suggesting that governor Romney is any -- tax cheat a felon and -- -- murder.

Now I think there is look there's something we all understand what politics is it is dirty negative ads go flying people lie about the other side all the time.

But to come from either the president of the united -- or group representing his campaign or his electoral interest.

To put out an ad that is so blatantly false I mean -- to record -- essentially suggesting that governor Romney somehow is spreading cancer and is responsible for the deaths of people.

Is particularly.

Outrageous even given the standards of of presidential politics and -- one arm remarkably well you know -- -- -- an earlier point.

Obviously it worked and they tested it which is why they did -- but Monica's point look I'm not a fan of the tactics I understand the strategy in the strategies this it's a larger issue.

You don't have health care.

When you were denied health care because he got fired or laid off.

Chances are not gonna get the preventative medicine that you need and chances are that's gonna lead to bigger consequences that -- what if you had health care coverage.

So to that point I understand where the Obama campaign was coming fronts not the Obama campaign but the status coming from.

I don't necessarily agree with the way -- -- about it I will say however the Romney campaign never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

Goes can't go who's out there and says well this little -- lived in Massachusetts under Romney care -- would have been -- should have been taken care.

What they -- out there -- Angry every so conservative out there that basically says Mitt Romney has no core values and they were skeptical about him in the first place.

So it makes no sense to me as to -- their strategy was to go out to see that reporters talked to is scheduled Siberia on -- -- -- -- Dick who was in the ad reporters talked him afterwards and he's as well I don't blame Mitt Romney for my wife's cancer death but that's exactly what the ad.

Suggest yeah and when you get into the actual details of the -- what I -- and none of a certain I leave here we all understand that campaigns will really hit the other side hard this is have a blood sport.

But to go -- an ad where all of the details of that are false -- a -- governor Romney left Bain Capital years before this situation.

On and the fact that he was offered a buyout by by Bain Capital and didn't take it the wife actually had.

Health insurance for a long time until the very end when she had an injury that caused her to lose her job look there's so many details here and -- have the Obama campaign itself.

Deny that they knew anything about this story which also was a blatant -- we're out of time but for a word from -- -- you should the White House repudiate it.

Warehouse that they really have nothing to do with that and it's you know when the -- campaigning -- repudiate all of their negative about the -- Brothers everything else they've -- look if this is a big boy game.

And the bottom line is the Romney campaign and Obama campaigns -- -- whining about negative bats flying back and forth.

That's the way Monica really when you're on the campaign -- and basically not address this and they haven't even tried to distance themselves from it may be because Julie's point that it is actually.

Having some traction out there.

But I think is particularly disgraceful that the president of the United States.

Who is also running -- reelection campaign engages in this kind of activity all right.

-- Monica Crowley -- Drabinsky.