Decision 2012: Obama Leads in Polls Despite Negative Campaigning

Negative campaign ads are taking a toll on how voters view President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. The President is viewed negatively by 43 percent of voters in a new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, his second worst rating since taking office. Romney's negative rating, 40 percent, is the worst the survey has recorded for him yet. But, Obama is still leading as the choice for president of 49 percent those polled compared with 43 percent for Romney. The negative ads seem to be taking a greater toll on Romney, with 46 percent of voters saying they didn't like him personally. That compares to just 31 percent who dislike the President.

Class discussion: Do negative ads really alienate voters? Or, are the attack ads effective? Find news reports on how negative advertising has worked in this and past elections. Find out about the "Daisy Girl" ad in the 1964 presidential race between Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater. Also, take a look at the "Willie Horton" ads in the 1988 race between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. Were these ads effective? Were these ads fair? The NBC-Wall Street Journal poll also shows a "likability gap" between Obama and Romney. How important is "likability" to American voters? Are issues or "likability" more likely to sway most voters? Look for examples in past elections