Republicans use Obama as the bad guy in negative ads

(Via CNN.com.)

Is Sen. Barack Obama the new Sen. Ted Kennedy, Sen. Hillary Clinton or former House Speaker Newt Gingrich? For Republican candidates and political ad makers, the White House hopeful might very well be.

A review of political television advertising nationwide shows that Obama has played a starring role or has been mentioned in at least 9 GOP-inspired ads designed to undercut a Democratic candidate in recent months.

In previous elections, Republicans have used Kennedy and Clinton — especially in the South, where these two Northeast Democrats might not be as well received — in negative ads targeting congressional or state Democratic candidates.

“We’re starting to see Barack Obama come into play in mostly conservative districts,” said Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of TNSMI/CMAG, CNN’s consultant on television advertising.

Obama’s comments about small-town Pennsylvanians being “bitter” people who “cling to guns and religion” over frustration with the economy, and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s controversial remarks, have provided Republicans with material to try to inflict damage in down-ballot races.

“What they do is they draw on the negative character of a candidate, and they attach them to another candidate in the race,” Tracey said. “The question is, is that negative character believable and defendable? That will be the test that these ads will have to stand up to in a few weeks.”