Katie Couric's Notebook: Attack Ads
Video: It's usually at this point that commentators lament all the negative attacks, and practically beg the candidates to go positive. But political scientists have found that ads bashing the other guy are often more fair – and more accurate – than ads praising a politician. Done right, they can play an important role informing voters about key differences on the issues.
So the standard shouldn't be whether a candidate attacks his opponent, but whether those attacks are accurate and substantive.
What does that mean for this campaign? Well, when Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann says that Barack Obama "may have anti-American views," and wouldn't say whether Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi are "anti-American or pro-American" That crosses that line. Attack their policies, not their patriotism.