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Well, yes and no.
In the last federal election, the Liberals used negative ads to point out where the conservatives stood on the issues rather than where they (the liberals) stood. Part of it was scare tactics, but part of it was quite real. The conservatives had stated that they were going to lower taxes, raise military spending drastically, and increase health care spending drastically, but didn't say where the money was going to come from. The liberals jumped all over this stating that the conservative were either going to have to deficit finance, or do some major cutting elsewhere. (All of which I believe to be true.)
The thing about the US ads is that they are very PERSONAL it would seem, as opposed to sticking to the issues.
Vietnam is not an issue. But Kerry is suffering for it.
One time I remember the Conservative party in Canada under Kim Campbell launching some ads mocking the way that former liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien spoke and looked (he had a slight paralysis on the one side of his face since birth).
Something to the effect of "would you vote for a guy who looked like this"
Well, the liberals turned it around and said something like, "he can't help how he looks and it's quite cruel to do something like this, blah blah blah"
Anyway the Conservatives were reduced to 2 seats in the House of Commons from a majority of around 200 or so by Chretien and his liberals. (Not saying that the public reacted solely against the conservatives due to those stupid ads but)
The ads definitely backfired though.
Same provincially in Onatario when former premiere earnie eaves launched some negative advertising. He got his ass bounced out too.
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