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Editorial
Election reform
begins at home
In his victory speech last night, Governor-elect L. Douglas Wilder made reference to the failure of negative campaigning in Virginia. He said that his victory proves that such campaigns don’t always work.
We heartily agree, and we hope that Mr. Wilder’s comments will be taken to heart by politicians at all levels — but most particularly by their advisors. As columnist John Goolrick points out on the opposite page, these tactics are used because they work; because voters respond eagerly to allegations of misdeeds but frequently yawn when the candidates attempt to discuss their plans for the future.
Campaigning has been honed to a fine science by the professional consultants who are hired by nearly every prospective politician. They have studied past campaigns, both the successes and the failures. They know what works, and the politicians would be foolish to ignore their advice, i What is needed is reform at the level of the voters. Until the electorate is willing to tear itself away from the inane video idiocy of “Roseanne,” “thirtysomething,” and the other garbage of their ilk, campaigns will continue to more resemble .elementary school mudslinging matches than discussions of ^substantive issues. y Meanwhile, the Commonwealth and the nation will ycontinue to Itirch from crisis to crisis, with policy decisions -'hinging on public opinions gleaned from sound bites and photo 'opportunities staged by the media consultants.
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