Table of Contents
Introduction 7
1 Negative Campaigning Is Effective Drew Westen 11
2 Despite the Bluster, Negative Campaign Ads Ineffective Peter Callaghan 16
3 Negative Campaigning Undermines American Democracy Todd Phillips 20
4 Negative Campaigning Is Essential to Winning Elections Andy Lewandowski 29
5 Political Mudslinging: Does It Work? Judy Beaupre 34
6 Fact-Checking Does Not Stop Negative Campaigning David Corn 43
7 Social Media Does Not Act as a Check on Negative Campaigning Caleb Garling 52
8 The Citizens United Decision Will Increase Negative Political Ads John Nichols Robert W. McChesney 58
9 Why Citizens United Has Nothing to Do with What Ails American Politics Ilya Shapiro 71
10 Super PACs Spur Negative Political Advertising and Distort American Politics Richard L. Hasen 75
11 Super PACs Benefit Politics and Do Not Lead to Nastier Campaigns Jonathan Alter 79
Organizations to Contact 84
Bibliography 89
Index 93