(Host) Brian Dubie and Peter Shumlin have taken their hard-edged campaign tactics from the debate stage to the airwaves.
As VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, analysts describe a new set of commercials in the governor’s race as negative – and probably effective.
(Sneyd) Brian Dubie has been questioning Peter Shumlin’s integrity, and his proposal for dealing with nonviolent prisoners.
Radio and TV ads paint Shumlin’s ideas as dangerous.
(DubieAd) "Have you read Peter Shumlin’s plan for Vermont? You should. It’s alarming. Shumlin wants to pay for his government spending programs by making cuts to public safety."
(Sneyd) The ad goes on to accuse Shumlin of planning to fire 300 prison guards and release 800 nonviolent "criminals."
(DubieAd) "Shumlin’s plan would turn drug dealers and child pornographers out on the street long before their sentences were served."
(Sneyd) Shumlin and his supporters have denounced the ad.
They say it’s no better than a commercial that George H.W. Bush aired in the 1988 presidential campaign accusing Michael Dukakis of releasing a rapist from prison.
Shumlin responded with his own campaign spot:
(ShumlinAd) "Heard Brian Dubie’s ad attacking Peter Shumlin? It’s outrageous. And not true. Vermonters deserve a debate on the issues. Not the scare tactics Brian Dubie is using."
(Sneyd) Shumlin’s campaign says he’ll lock up violent offenders. And he’ll offer drug treatment and other programs to nonviolent offenders who’ve served their time.
Shumlin says Dubie would cut funding for schools and roads.
(ShumlinAd) "Brian Dubie would shortchange our children to pay for more tax cuts for the wealthy. Now that’s a plan that’s truly dangerous for Vermont."
(Sneyd) The question is how these ads serve voters. Chris Graff has observed Vermont politics for three decades as a journalist and analyst.
Vermont candidates like to trumpet how civil and courteous their campaigns are.
Graff says the gubernatorial candidates this year can’t make that claim. And he says Dubie and Shumlin know negative ads can work.
(Graff) "Where this election will be decided with the independents, with the moderates. They’re the people who are undecided today. And these types of campaign ads can make a difference with that group."
(Sneyd) The reason the ads can be effective, Graff says, is that the candidates themselves aren’t delivering the messages.
(DubieAd) "Don’t let Peter Shumlin go too far again. Paid for by Friends of Brian Dubie."
(Sneyd) The candidates do have to explain how the ads were paid for. Graff says there are probably plenty more of these in the pipeline before this campaign is over.
For VPR News, I’m Ross Sneyd