Joseph Zambon
I’m interested in the mechanics of political campaigns, especially the more aggressive strategies like negative campaigning and dirty tricks. Though often confused, these tactics serve distinct purposes. Negative campaigning, such as attack ads, is based on verifiable facts presented in a way that damages the opponent’s election prospects. In contrast, dirty tricks involve deception and lies that are not grounded in truth.
Consider Pat Ryan’s re-election campaign for New York’s 18th congressional district, which includes Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie. Ryan, notable for being the first West Point graduate to represent West Point in Congress, has used attack ads against his Republican challenger, Alison Esposito. These ads, a form of negative campaigning, focus on reproductive rights—a sensitive issue for Republicans, who generally avoid it except for former President Trump.
Trump Flip-Flops on Abortion
Trump recently showcased his trademark inconsistency on reproductive rights. Initially, he criticized Florida’s six-week abortion ban (a “heartbeat bill”), claiming it didn’t give women enough time. He said, “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.” This confused many because “more than six weeks” was not something he could vote for since it was not on the ballot. Under pressure from anti-abortion advocates, Trump quickly reversed his position. He now opposes Florida Amendment 4, “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion” which aims to expand abortion access, reflecting his usual flip-flopping approach to gain votes. He will flip whichever way will get him the most votes.
Ryan Attack Ads Against Esposito
In contrast to Trump’s flip-flopping, Esposito adheres to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s strategy, focusing on issues like the migrant crisis, public safety, and inflation. The NRCC advises Republican candidates to avoid discussing reproductive rights, which is seen as a losing issue for them.
The Ryan campaign, backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, recognizes the strategic advantage of emphasizing reproductive rights. Since the Supreme Court abolished fifty years of reproductive rights when it overturned Roe v. Wade. Reproductive rights have driven voter turnout and influenced election outcomes, even in conservative states. High voter turnout tends to benefit Democrats, which Republicans generally dislike.
Ryan’s attack ad against Esposito, though brief, is impactful. It claims, “Alison Esposito Pledged to Ban Abortion from Conception” and “[Alison Esposito] supports New York banning abortion,” featuring a clip of Esposito’s comment on the Supreme Court’s decision, where she said, “The Supreme Court did the absolute right thing.” While the ad is harsh and damaging to Esposito’s campaign, it is firmly based on factual evidence.
Republican Dirty Tricks: The Case of Senator Ed Muskie
Negative campaigning, which includes attack ads, is rooted in verifiable facts. In contrast, dirty tricks rely on lies and deception. The annals of political campaigning are filled with instances of dirty tricks.
A notable example occurred in 1972, when Senator Ed Muskie of Maine, the leading Democratic contender for the presidential nomination, was set to challenge Republican incumbent Richard Nixon. Republican dirty tricks played a significant role in undermining Muskie’s campaign.
Two letters to the editor were published in the influential Manchester (NH) Union Leader, orchestrated by Donald Segretti (who went to prison for this – see “All the President’s Men”) and written by Ken W. Clawson, both members of Nixon’s Committee for the Re-Election of the President (nicked named CREEP). These letters falsely accused Muskie of using an ethnic slur against French-Canadians, calling them “Canucks“ and suggested that Muskie’s wife had a drinking problem.
Muskie’s critical mistake was responding to these lies with a tearful public rebuttal, effectively derailing his campaign. This opened the door for George McGovern to win the Democratic nomination. Nixon subsequently defeated McGovern in the general election. Nixon later faced his own downfall with the Watergate scandal, leading to his impeachment and resignation.
Republican Dirty Tricks Spark Violence: The Pizzagate Scandal
One of the most shocking and dangerous examples of Republican dirty tricks in recent memory is the infamous “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory. During the 2016 presidential campaign – Hillary Clinton vs Donald Trump – a completely fabricated and vile conspiracy theory surfaced, claiming that high-ranking Democrats were running a secret child sex trafficking ring out of the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Washington, D.C. This baseless lie spread like wildfire through right-wing media outlets, fueling distrust, fear, and paranoia among listeners.
As far-fetched as it may sound, this fake story led to real-life consequences. A North Carolina man, consumed by the lies and conspiracy, armed himself and drove to the pizzeria in a misguided effort to “save” the non-existent children allegedly being held captive. Once inside, he fired shots, though thankfully, no one was injured. The entire episode ended with his arrest and imprisonment. Pizzagate stands as a prime example of how dirty tricks, built entirely on lies and deception, can spiral out of control and lead to violence.
Why do political campaigns—Republican campaigns in this instance—resort to such tactics? Why did Republican operatives like Donald Segretti and Ken Clawson stoop to creating the infamous “Canuck Letter” back in the Nixon era? The answer is simple: dirty tricks work. Even when these lies are later proven false, the damage is done. Dirty tricks generate doubt in voters’ minds. “What if it’s true?” people wonder, and once that doubt sets in, it opens the door to more damaging misinformation, further confusing voters.
In the case of Pizzagate, this wasn’t just a little white lie. It was a coordinated effort by some on the right to paint their political opponents as not only corrupt but evil. The ramifications went far beyond politics. Lies led to violence, putting innocent lives at risk and leaving a dangerous legacy of disinformation. Even though it has been debunked, there are still people who believe that there was a secret child sex trafficking ring. The Comet Ping Pong pizzeria is a Washington, D.C. tourist destination.
Latest Dirty Tricks Target Minnesota Governor and Democratic VP Nominee Tim Walz
A glaring example of modern political dirty tricks involves the relentless attacks on Minnesota Governor and Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz. In a brazen attempt to tarnish his reputation, lies have been spread, targeting his 24 years of honorable service in the Army National Guard. These baseless accusations aim to undermine Walz’s military career, one of his most commendable achievements, in a clear-cut strategy to damage his credibility and character on the national stage.
These dirty tricks reflect a familiar pattern of deceitful tactics used to smear opponents, regardless of the truth.
Just as Trump’s senior advisor Chris LaCivita orchestrated the Swiftboat campaign to smear Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, Republicans are now employing the same dirty tactics against Minnesota Governor and Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz. Their aim? To twist Walz’s 24 years of honorable military service in the Army National Guard into a political liability, all while boosting the candidacy of Donald Trump—a man who famously dodged the draft and has repeatedly shown disrespect toward the military.
Governor Walz’s military career is beyond reproach. He enlisted in the Army National Guard two days after his 17th birthday and served for 24 years, rising to command sergeant major. In 2003, Walz’s unit, the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery of the Minnesota Army National Guard, deployed to Italy to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. By the fall of 2004, Walz submitted his paperwork to retire after decades of dedicated service. His official retirement date was May 16, 2005, two years after his deployment overseas.
Vance and Jackson’s Dirty Tricks Against Gov. Walz
Yet Republicans have seized on this timeline to launch a baseless attack on Walz’s character. Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, falsely claimed, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.” This is a blatant lie. According to PBS, Walz was never asked to deploy to Iraq. At his retirement, he had been given a two-year window for a possible—not guaranteed—deployment. The official deployment notice came months after Walz had submitted his retirement paperwork and after he retired. This was the same lie his opponent – who never served in the military – used in Walz’s successful gubernatorial campaign.
Disgraced Republican Representative Ronny Jackson also joined the smear campaign, tweeting that “Tim Walz TURNED HIS BACK on the soldiers in his unit because he was TOO afraid to deploy to Iraq!!”
Jackson’s claim is also false. Walz knew that his unit might deploy at some point in the future, but it was far from certain. His decision to retire after 24 years of service had nothing to do with fear or shirking duty—it was a personal decision made after decades of dedicated military service to his country.
It’s worth noting that Ronny Jackson is hardly an unimpeachable figure. The former White House physician, who was promoted to Rear Admiral under Trump, was later reduced in rank to Captain following an investigation that revealed abusive behavior toward his Navy subordinates. Jackson was also known as the “Candy Man” in the White House due to his reputation for freely distributing prescription drugs—a far cry from the disciplined and honorable service Walz demonstrated throughout his military career.
Ironically, Gov. Walz had to fight to stay in the Minnesota Army National Guard past his 20-years of service. Gov. Walz suffered from hearing loss from firing artillery. A medical board sought to force Gov. Walz into retirement, but he was allowed to continue for another enlistment. Had he retired on a medical, he wouldn’t have deployed to Italy for seven months and he couldn’t be accused retiring before the next deployment.
The Republicans’ strategy here is obvious: distort and discredit Walz’s military service in the hopes of planting doubt in voters’ minds. By twisting the truth, they aim to smear a man who dedicated much of his life to serving his country. As Doug Sterner, a respected military historian, put it, the criticisms of Walz’s military record are “politically motivated” and deeply unfair.
Conclusion
This is how dirty tricks work—they rely on deception and distortion, hoping that some mud will stick long enough to sway public opinion. It’s a page straight out of the GOP playbook, echoing the Swiftboat campaign that tarnished John Kerry’s distinguished record of military service that included a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. In both cases, these tactics reveal more about the moral bankruptcy of those spreading the lies than about the men they’re trying to tear down.
The GOP lies about Walz’s service because they can’t attack him on his policies. They’re very popular, and the GOP knows it.
Kat, the GOP would attack Gov. Walz regardless because that’s what they do. They even attack their own. For example, Trump attacked the Vietnam war hero and Senator John McCain.