I don't think you can honestly make the characterization that Republicans are any more guilty of negative attacks than are Democrats. Both parties are equally guilty in this area.

Human nature being what it is, and having seen the ad hominem attacks thrown around on this blog, I have no doubt that at least some Libertarian candidates would stoop to ad hominem campaign commercials.

Ad hominem politics is not a symptom of any particular party, it is an attribute of the entire modern political system.

It seems that Congressman Bob Moran, Democrat from Virginia, was making remarks at a 9/11 memorial service. Well, being the politician that he was, he started making ad hominem remarks about the Bush administration. The crowd didn't like it and boo'ed him off the stage.

That too me is the really disgusting aspect of politics. Using a an event like a funeral or memorial event to score cheap points.

I remember the funeral of Coretta Scott King. The weasel who is the current President of the NAACP took the opportunity to make low blows at President Bush from the eulogy podium. I am pleased to say that the Republicans there at least had enough class not to further crassen the event by responding at the funeral.

politics is politics. It's up to the man and his party to make a decision about his or her conduct. It's been proven time and time over that voters respond to negative attacks, even when they think that such tactics are in bad taste.

It's up to us to make sure that libertarian politicians dont do the same type of things, but rely on class and principles to not emulate them.

I always like this constant banter about "negative" campaign ads. Sometimes, its a good idea to call a spade a spade and when something stinks just say it. Wake up, people. This country is on the verge of collapse. The time for sitting around exchanging pleasentries and talking about how wonderful everything is has long past.

There is a difference between hard hitting issues campaigning and ad hominem attacks. What is being spoken of here is ad hominem attacks. They have no place in campaign ads. Attack the idea, not the man.

What about when the man is the idea?

That would almost never be the case, unless, and only unless, the candidate was a pure 100% ideologue. And that is something you almost never see in the actual political world, accusations of being an ideologue, notwithstanding.

Politicians, why they may talk tough, tend to be compromisers and pragramaticists.

You cannot, therefore, relate many politicians to ideas, because probably less than 0.01% of politicians are pure ideologues.

Even if it was the case, an ad hominem attack is never necessary or proper. An idea can be attacked thoroughly and completely, without need to question the motives of the person proposing it.

I should add, that it is especially sad to see ad hominems from people who should be above such things. I have been following blog threads on some Austrian/Libertarian blogs and have been dismayed by the number of ad hominems made by people who should be smart enough not to need to resort to such low methods.