Dirty Campaigns

I’ve been reading a fascinating book – Mudslingers – the 25 dirtiest political campaigns of all time.  It covers US campaigns only – would be interesting to do a local NZ version.

Anyway the part I enjoyed most was the purported speech made a 1950 Senate primary for the Democratic nomination by Pepper’s rival:

“Are you aware that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert? Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law, and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper before his marriage habitually practiced celibacy,”

Heh.

It is purported that this speech was delivered in small towns all over the state, but this has never been proven, so it may be an urban legend.