Dirt Diggers Eye a Non-Candidate : Powell’s prospective bid sets his rivals to work

Colin Powell hasn’t thrown his hat into the ring yet but other presidential hopefuls are already trying to dig up dirt. He’s not the first prospect to have mud slung at him before he declares. Negative campaigning has become an American tradition, though one that carries a high price for the nation. Ugly tactics in campaigns increase public cynicism and contribute to apathy and low voter turnouts.

As expected, potential opponents are doing research on Powell, and a spate of attacks on his ideological, personal and professional histories has begun. Several prominent Republicans have assailed the still undeclared candidate by using the “L word,” insisting he is too liberal for the GOP. He’s also been called a follower rather than a leader.

11-MAN GANG-UP: As Powell gets closer to his decision on whether to seek the Republican presidential nomination, the attacks are getting louder. On Thursday, 11 conservative leaders at a Washington news conference deemed Powell an indecisive military leader and insisted that he is out of step with the Republican philosophy. With Powell the clear leader in many polls, these and other Republicans are taking the gloves off early to try to scare him away from declaring his candidacy.

Unfortunately, the conventional political wisdom is that negative campaigning works even with voters who say they would prefer a full airing of where candidates stand and a rigorous debate on the issues. Attacks beget attacks, making for a kind of national politics that turns off most Americans.

The retired general’s entire family--even distant cousins--and past military and professional associates all will be fair game. Nothing, including his race, will be off-limits.

Staff members of Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.), the front-runner among declared Republican candidates, are talking publicly about the ammunition they plan to use against Powell. Patrick Buchanan, another GOP hopeful, has labeled Powell a Clintonite. And no doubt much stronger stuff than that is coming.

It’s part of the game. Democrats do it. Republicans do it. But what the negative campaigners don’t seem to understand in cases like this one is that they merely are adding to the public’s yearning for an “outsider,” be it Powell or someone else.

COST OF CYNICISM: Polls show that Americans are politically cynical and bored. Voting rates are down. The big change in Congress last fall came after only 44.6% of registered voters bothered to vote. Only 62% of people 18 or older were registered to vote at that time. So barely one in three who were eligible to vote went to the polls.

Powell’s image as a hero and military leader clearly is part of his appeal. Of course, if he decides to run, the public will learn much, much more about him, as it should. His positions on the issues rightly will be explored. But would-be practitioners of negative campaigning are advised to remember something: Obsessing about the irrelevant might be just the thing that drives voters out of their own camp and into a rival’s.