How to Attack a Political Candidate's Credibility

The election process is one of the bedrocks of a democratic society, but the attack of political candidates is the slimy stuff found on the dark side of that rock. Every campaign—from small town council races to presidential ones—will see some kind of attack, whether it be whispers of extramarital affairs at the local Rotary meeting or questions of integrity on the editorial pages of major newspapers.

Instructions

1. Get the dirt. This is more than just running some names through Internet records. Comb through the files at the county courthouses of every place your opponent has ever lived. Ask his old neighbors questions like "Was Joe ever brought home in handcuffs?" and "Did the cops come out to the house a lot?" If possible, talk to people who ran against that person in past elections, as they may have some stories. Talk to prosecutors and attorneys, too; they may know where records went if none appear in public files.

2. Search the Internet. Of course, the Web can be handier than ever, especially when it comes to speeches. Get someone to film all of your opponent's public speeches, then watch and compare them. Does she say anything contradictory? Chances are there is tons of past footage of your candidate out there already. Look for where she said one thing and has now changed her mind.

3. Talk to friends in the media. Mention that one of your researchers found some interesting facts about your opponent. See if the media member is interested in hearing more. Sometimes, it helps to send the documents anonymously if you don't want the media to know where the information came from.

4. Send out a mass mailing just prior to election day if the media won't bite. If there is a key district that seems undecided, some information in the mail linking a candidate to some past misdeeds is one way campaigns get a few last-minute votes.

5. Instruct your candidate to go for the kill. If you have evidence that your opponent has credibility issues such as hiring illegal immigrants for his own company, and saying that is a major political issue, then say it out loud. Mention it in speeches. Ask for answers.

Tips & Warnings

• Attack your opponent on a key issue important to their platform. If your opponent doesn't plan to heavily fight drug problems, then a picture of him with a joint likely won't matter much.

• Check your facts. Going out there with bad documents will hurt your campaign.

• If your attack gets nasty, think about covering your campaign tracks. The last thing you want is backlash.