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They work because they hit candidate's most precious asset....... his reputation.
Most of us will vote for a candidate we like and respect, even if we don't agree with him on every issue. But if you can cripple a voter's trust in a candidate, you can probably turn their vote.
All campaigns do extensive research into their opponent's voting record and personal life. This so-called "oppo research" involves searching databases, combing through press clips, and asking questions of people who know (and preferably dislike) your opponent. It's not hard to turn up something a candidate would rather not see on the front page of NY Times.
Its not always necessary for a smear to be true to be effective. The most effective smears are based on a hint of truth and applied in a way that exploits a candidate's political weakness.
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