Hello Susanne,

Some things never change.

In 1800 the campaign between Jefferson and Adams, party politics had so distanced the pair that, when for the first and last time in U.S. history, a president found himself running against his vice president.

Things got ugly. Jefferson's camp accused President Adams of having a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."

Adams' men called Vice President Jefferson "a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father."

As the slurs continued, Adams was labeled a fool, a hypocrite, a criminal, and a tyrant, while Jefferson was branded a weakling, an atheist, a libertine, and a coward.

Eventually despite their bruising campaign, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams became friends again. One would think that then, as today, so much is just political theater...

Regards,
O.A.

That was so gentlemanly and collegiate like. Thanks for posting.

I think the reason for this is most people who will vote will vote based on the issues, ideology, a financial interest in a program the candidate supports, or some personal connection to the candidate. A minority hardly knows who the candidates are and what they're all about. An ad can't do much to influence people who are voting for a reason, so they go after people who just hear some ad on TV as they're waiting at the deli counter.
A side-effect is this alienates and disgusts some voters. This is not intentional but not so bad, since these same voters are the ones who want answers to hard questions.

omg ROFL "Hatchet-faced nutmeg dealer" I'm going to have to use that one..