http://professor-lyman.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] professor-lyman.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2006-04-06 11:38 am

Political Campaigning (Thursday, April 6, 4th period)

"You've been watching political ads and have spent a few months learning about your candidates. Today we talk about going negative." He gave them a smirk. "Or, as I prefer to think about it--the hard positive. You're not necessarily telling the voters that your opponent hates his mother and kicks puppies in his spare time--though if he does and you've got tape of it, for the love of God, use it--you're just telling them things about him that he'd rather you not mention."

He clasped his hands together. "Going negative can include everything from bad votes to extramarital affairs. And the voters say that they hate that kind of thing." He raised an eyebrow. "Polling data indicates otherwise. Eventually, yeah, your numbers will take a hit because you're being mean or whatever. But in the short term it does some serious damage to your opponent."

He walked around the room. "So the question becomes when do you go negative? Do you wait for them to start it, then strike back? Do you wait for them to start it and then have a press conference deploring their lack of propriety and whatever?"

He waved his hands at the class. "Or will you be one of those campaigns that never goes negative and then gets its ass kicked? Discuss."

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Angel signed in, looking very broody and tired.

He also looked like he had wee tiny bunnies clinging to the bottoms of his pant legs.

there was a reason for that (http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memadd.bml?journal=notstakedyet&itemid=58068).

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 06:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"You know," Angel said, as he took a seat, "I just want to know who taught them to hug."

A few of the bunnies tried to climb higher so that they could hug his knees.

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Angel looked down at the wee tiny bunnies.

They looked back, twitching their wee tiny noses.

"Yeah, I don't want to know if these guys can dance."

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 07:02 pm (UTC)(link)
As if on cue, three of the bunnies scampered up Angel's pant leg, got on his desk, and did a wee little Bunny Hop.

"Okay that's adorably disturbing," Angel said.

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)
One of the bunnies scampered to the edge of Angel's desk. Its wee tiny front paws waved in the air as it tried to reach out to Josh.

"Aww, sir, I think it likes you," Angel said, enjoying this far too much.

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
"We could probably get a swarm of 'em," Angel said. "I bet they breed like - " Angel snapped his finger, pretending to forget " - whaddyacallits."

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
"Think we'll need to use packing peanuts?"

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"Could ask at All & Sundries," Angel pointed out. One of the bunnies on the desk crawled into his shirt pocket.

Re: Sign in (April 6)

[identity profile] notstakedyet.livejournal.com 2006-04-06 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"With wee tiny airholes?"