UA Professor Says Gubernatorial Candidates will Emerge from Primaries so Weakened Negativity Apt to Continue

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Dr. Karen Cartee, professor of advertising and public relations at The University of Alabama, says the negative campaign ads that currently are running on television for the governor’s race primaries will continue.

“The negativity will help narrow down the field,” Cartee says. “Negativity is the only thing that moves poll numbers. Positive ads just inform audiences.”

Newspaper reports this week have said Gov. Siegelman’s attorney has suggested primary opponent Charles Bishop’s television ads may contain libelous information. Cartee says that in a campaign, and especially with political ads, it is virtually impossible to prove libel because the subjects are public figures. “Libel is fine for PR, but in reality, it is next to impossible to prove,” she says.

The Supreme Court has upheld that political speech is both vehement and caustic and that right is protected.

“This type of negative campaigning will continue through the primaries and into the general election,” Cartee says. “The Democratic and Republican candidates will come out of the primaries so weakened that, ironically, they will have to continue the negativity to protect their own exposed weaknesses.