# Is this the nastiest, meanest Presidential campaign of modern times? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 19, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605 "2008-10-19T03:03:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/41 "2008-10-19T18:23:44Z")
> [@astro](#): > > That’s an absurd assumption re young people remembering exactly where they were when some political got killed. I was born in 1958 and I have no precise memory of _exactly_ where I was when I heard MLK got shot or Reagan got shot or the Pope got shot. Your assumption that these events are going to imprint everyone, young or old, emotionally is ridiculous. That’s idiotic. Of course a child is not going to remember. But a young adult or an adult is. I remember exactly where I was when I heard Reagan got shot, or the Pope, or even RFK, even though I was only 5. > [@RickJay](#): > > I’m sorry, but are you actually accusing George H. Bush of being involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy? And you’re basing that on the allegation he can’t remember where he was when it happened? He wasn’t even in politics then. > > I suppose this is an insane request, but I was kind of hoping this thread would be as non-partisan as possible. I’m wondering about the tone of the campaign in general, including primaries, not your personal hatred of the Republicans or Democrats. > > **Der Trihs** ; That’s a very interesting claim. I can see how this sort of thing can be changed by time; memory’s very malleable. Do you have any links? Who is George H. Bush? I said George Herbert Walker Bush (GHWB), the 41st President of the United States and running for US Congressman at the time. 43 is GWB, George Walker Bush, and its a safe bet he was drunk somewhere. Am I accusing GHWB of being involved? A man who was suing one of the victims? A grown man who was a US Congressman from Texas who doesn’t remember where the hell he was when it happened? When every other American old enough to remember remembers where they were? Sure, why not. [http://www.jfkmurdersolved.com/bush.htm](http://www.jfkmurdersolved.com/bush.htm) And where was GHWB? Here’s the photo: [http://www.tomflocco.com/Docs/63/BushJfkBookDepo.htm](http://www.tomflocco.com/Docs/63/BushJfkBookDepo.htm) Standing right out in front of the depository. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/42 "2008-10-19T18:36:30Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Has anyone tried to sway this election yet using forged documents? Do the claims that Obama forged his birth certificate and isn’t a real American citizen count? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/43 "2008-10-19T23:01:49Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > That’s idiotic. Of course a child is not going to remember. But a young adult or an adult is. I remember exactly where I was when I heard Reagan got shot, or the Pope, or even RFK, even though I was only 5. Apparently we’re the same age. I have absolutely no memory of the Pope or RFK being shot. I have memories of Reagan being shot, but it’s mostly of the TV coverage later in the day. I have no idea where I was when I first heard the news. Your experience is not universal. It’s silly to expect that everyone remembers things the way you do. ---
**Author:** ![UTejas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UTejas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UTejas)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/44 "2008-10-19T23:49:27Z")
While this might not fall under modern times, this humor article has a pretty funny rundown of some way more nasty, mean presidential campaigns in US history. > **[5 Presidential Elections Even Dumber Than This One (Somehow)](https://www.cracked.com/article_16680_5-presidential-elections-even-dumber-than-this-one-somehow.html)** > > "Politics sure have gone down the shitter this election," is what you've probably been saying to yourself for the last 15 months. But you know what? You're wrong. > Dead wrong. > Oh, it's not that politics aren't in the shitter. It's that they were... ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/45 "2008-10-19T23:58:22Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Apparently we’re the same age. I have absolutely no memory of the Pope or RFK being shot. I have memories of Reagan being shot, but it’s mostly of the TV coverage later in the day. I have no idea where I was when I first heard the news. Your experience is not universal. It’s silly to expect that everyone remembers things the way you do. I’m not saying they would have my memories, but no one old enough to remember does not remember where they were when they heard the the President had his head blown off. I used to interview people for a job I had, and no one, no matter how senile, couldn’t tell you where they were and what they were doing. The only comparable events were Pearl Harbor and 9/11. You do remember exactly what you were doing on 9/11 when you heard? I was on the toilet and a friend called and told me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/46 "2008-10-20T00:25:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Is this the worst it’s ever been? Have you considered the Johnson vs Goldwater campaign and the daisy ad ? Or the Democratic primaries with Kennedy vs Carter 1980. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/47 "2008-10-20T02:41:48Z")
I thought this one was very calm until McCain lost ground. Then he sicced his attack dog with lipstick on Obama. She has been as nasty as possible. But overall. I do not think this nears the things the Bush campaign did with swiftboating and rovean ads. Right now McCains people are using a company to make nasty phone calls to scare the voters. They are the ones Bush used against McCain before. It still has a long way to go to meet that level. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/48 "2008-10-20T02:59:59Z")
The anti-Obama rhetoric is about as mean as I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a candidate seriously accused of being the anti-Christ before. I thought the right’s hatred for Clinton was bad, but the hatred for Obama is so irrational and so literally fantastic in its allegations that I think it does break new ground. It’s all the more remarkable that Obama doesn’t give it back. ---
**Author:** ![vison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47774/32.png) [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/49 "2008-10-20T04:15:19Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’m not saying they would have my memories, but no one old enough to remember does not remember where they were when they heard the the President had his head blown off. I used to interview people for a job I had, and no one, no matter how senile, couldn’t tell you where they were and what they were doing. The only comparable events were Pearl Harbor and 9/11. You do remember exactly what you were doing on 9/11 when you heard? I was on the toilet and a friend called and told me. What on earth are you driving at? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/50 "2008-10-20T04:32:25Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’m not saying they would have my memories, but no one old enough to remember does not remember where they were when they heard the the President had his head blown off. I’m telling you. We’re the same age, and I don’t remember. I remember some things from later in the day – it was an important day, but I don’t recall when and where I was when I heard. Your experience is not universal. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/51 "2008-10-20T05:15:23Z")
> [@vison](#): > > What on earth are you driving at? Bush senior killed Kennedy. On a related note Barbara Bush introduced Yoko to John Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/52 "2008-10-20T05:16:33Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’m not saying they would have my memories, but no one old enough to remember does not remember where they were when they heard the the President had his head blown off. I used to interview people for a job I had, and no one, no matter how senile, couldn’t tell you where they were and what they were doing. The only comparable events were Pearl Harbor and 9/11. You do remember exactly what you were doing on 9/11 when you heard? I was on the toilet and a friend called and told me. I don’t remember what I was doing when I first heard about 9/11. I was 23 at the time. What I mostly remember is the mind-numbing TV coverage showing the same 5 video clips the entire day. Where are you getting this notion that everyone processes historical events the same way you do? ---
**Author:** ![vison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47774/32.png) [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/53 "2008-10-20T05:44:15Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Bush senior killed Kennedy. On a related note Barbara Bush introduced Yoko to John Lennon. Great Scott! :eek: Why were we never told? ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/54 "2008-10-20T06:38:43Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I’m telling you. We’re the same age, and I don’t remember. I remember some things from later in the day – it was an important day, but I don’t recall when and where I was when I heard. Your experience is not universal. :dubious: Likely story, pal. Say, weren’t you in Dallas back then? I seem to recall you saying something about a grassy knoll… ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/55 "2008-10-20T12:10:10Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Bush senior killed Kennedy. On a related note Barbara Bush introduced Yoko to John Lennon. And then gave Mark David Chapman directions to the Dakota. Turns out he got confused and was looking for a building called The Montana. ---
**Author:** ![Burton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Burton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burton)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/56 "2008-10-20T12:41:00Z")
I don’t see any point in rating these things, however its certainly very ugly and the Republicans are leading in underhandedness I’m very sick of it. I don’t know where I was when Bobby Kennedy was shot either. I do JFK, in 6th grade, at school outside of Boston. We were dismissed early. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/57 "2008-10-20T12:43:03Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Who is George H. Bush? I said George Herbert Walker Bush (GHWB), the 41st President of the United States and running for US Congressman at the time. 43 is GWB, George Walker Bush, and its a safe bet he was drunk somewhere. Quite obviously, George H. Bush is George H. W. Bush. Who did YOU think I was talking about? The second initial’s unnecessary, so I dropped it. I have two middle names, too, and never use the second initial. > [@](#): > > Am I accusing GHWB of being involved? A man who was suing one of the victims? A grown man who was a US Congressman from Texas who doesn’t remember where the hell he was when it happened? When every other American old enough to remember remembers where they were? Sure, why not. [http://www.jfkmurdersolved.com/bush.htm](http://www.jfkmurdersolved.com/bush.htm) And where was GHWB? Here’s the photo: [http://www.tomflocco.com/Docs/63/BushJfkBookDepo.htm](http://www.tomflocco.com/Docs/63/BushJfkBookDepo.htm) Standing right out in front of the depository. Oh, I see, you’re insane. BTW, Bush was not a congressman in 1963. ---
**Author:** ![Burton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Burton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burton)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/58 "2008-10-20T13:34:30Z")
That’s right he was in the oil business. He ran for the Senate in 64 and was defeated. He got into Congress in 1967. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/59 "2008-10-20T13:39:03Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Has anyone tried to sway this election yet using forged documents? Depends on your view of Obama’s birth certificate. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605/60 "2008-10-20T13:46:34Z")
I really do think the [demonization of Obama](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=474495) is unprecedented. Not even the Clintons got smeared with this many preposterous lies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-nastiest-meanest-presidential-campaign-of-modern-times/468605.md?page=4)