The Most Memorable Attacks Of The 2010 Elections

With more money going into the upcoming midterm elections than ever before -- the House elections alone are set to cost a whopping $1.45 billion -- the battleground has been set for high stakes contests in which the candidates often seem willing to do almost anything to win.

Whether it was attacking over the airwaves, in press conferences, or even over Twitter, political hopefuls and incumbents took their attacks to new heights this cycle, expressing a willingness to take vicious angles, to openly mock, and in some cases, even bend the truth.

Will this rhetoric work? We'll find out next week.

Take a look at these 11 memorable attacks this cycle and vote for the most vicious:

1 of 11

Rob Simmons On McMahon's WWE Past

1 of 12

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Long before Linda McMahon became a national figure as the next potential United States Senator from Connecticut, her primary challenger, former Congressman Rob Simmons, mounted a brutal campaign to highlight her WWE past. Where her opponents have since been rather shy, Simmons was not. From the money McMahon made marketing professional wrestling to children, to the questionable nature of the WWE's prior programming, to its treatment of women, and even to the industry's long connection to steroids and the premature deaths of its performers, Simmons left no controversy uncovered. The strategy didn't end up working, however. After temporarily suspending his campaign and eventually facing a challenge from a third Republican candidate in addition to McMahon, Simmons was only able to lock up around 28 percent of the vote.

Anthony Weiner Still In Limbo One Year After Scandal

Memorial Day Quotes: Politicians Honor Armed Forces On National Holiday (PHOTOS)

John Edwards Trial Juror Flirting With Ex-Senator

Alan Simpson: 'What A Wretched Group Of Seniors You Must Be'

Michelle Obama Wants To Trade Places With Beyonce

Obama Air Force Academy Graduation: President In Colorado For Commencement Address

Long before Linda McMahon became a national figure as the next potential United States Senator from Connecticut, her primary challenger, former Congressman Rob Simmons, mounted a brutal campaign to highlight her WWE past.

Where her opponents have since been rather shy, Simmons was not. From the money McMahon made marketing professional wrestling to children, to the questionable nature of the WWE's prior programming, to its treatment of women, and even to the industry's long connection to steroids and the premature deaths of its performers, Simmons left no controversy uncovered.

The strategy didn't end up working, however. After temporarily suspending his campaign and eventually facing a challenge from a third Republican candidate in addition to McMahon, Simmons was only able to lock up around 28 percent of the vote.

comments(109)

Total comments: 109 | Post a Comment

1 of 12

This Attack

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Frail Vicious

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Top 5 Attacks

loading...

Top 5 Attacks

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[Fretchen]

04:01 PM on 10/28/2010

It appears that the single ad that had the most impact here in Florida was the Grayson ad shown in this list. It propeled Grayson from a marginal lead into a disadvantage in a matter of days.

The ad was almost immediately identified as false by the local press. Even the Orlando Sentinel, a left oriented newspaper, denounced the ad. He further damaged himself when he continued to run the ad for several days after it was clearly shown to be false. Mr Webster never had to respond to this, he let the press and Mr. Grayson's slow response in removing it do it for him. The final votes are not in, but Rep. Grayson may have doomed himself for this cycle by airing this ad.

[ConservativeWorld]

03:44 PM on 10/28/2010

It will be great seeing Grayson losing and the people of the USA will not have to hear the craziness from him any longer.

[gopmakingupstuff]

01:02 AM on 10/29/2010

Teabagger:
A person who is unaware that they have said or done something foolish, childlike, noobish, lame, or inconvenient.
A whining f00l shouting loudly for liberty but not willing to pay the bill.

[Regressive Progressive]

02:44 PM on 10/28/2010

Bye Grayson....don't let the door hit you in the @ss

[colinmincy]

08:31 AM on 10/28/2010

Obama has had some challenges but I can't help but feel the evolution of the birthers and tea bagger movement is really fueled by race. It's hard to imagine that people in 2 years are just so beside themselves about what's happening in government but were complete pacifists under the Bush administration...electing him twice! there's a huge elephant in the room....and we should call a spade a spade. If Obama was fair like HIllary or ambulance chaser John Edwards, there wouldn't be the intensity behind the opposition like we're seeing.

[yemaya]

01:57 PM on 10/28/2010

they are fueled by race. The teabagger movement began right after Obama got elected. They didn't give a crap about deficit spending during Bush or big govt. spying on them or corporate giveaways back then. It's a movement fueled by hate and bankrolled by greed.

[Bat Wrangler]

02:14 AM on 10/28/2010

Prostitutes for David Vitter seems pretty acurate to me. Maybe Lisa Murkowski can cash in on a nepotism wave somewhere.

[filo]

08:45 PM on 10/27/2010

You know what they say...

...All politics is loco.

[sarabono]

08:08 PM on 10/27/2010

Grayson is finished.

I live in FL 8th and his charges and ad's are just rediculous.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house/florida/8

[filo]

08:47 PM on 10/27/2010

It's tough to fight against millions of out of state money.

Even if he loses we haven't heard the last of him.

Personally I like the guy.

[edrice222]

08:59 PM on 10/27/2010

I'm with you, I really like him. We need more like him, and we definitely haven't heard the last of Grayson.

[FinalRetribution]

09:36 AM on 10/28/2010

Yeah, ain't it tough!! I kinda like the guy. Pelosi too. Gonna miss them both

Good news, I'm looking forward to taking off "Grayson's" clown mask.

[gopmakingupstuff]

01:16 AM on 10/29/2010

Teabagger:
A person who is unaware that they have said or done something foolish, childlike, lame, or inconvenient.
A whining f00l shouting loudly for liberty but not willing to pay the bill.

[AddyGmom]

07:50 PM on 10/27/2010

Some people wax nostalgic while others wax backs........

[LeeCalif]

06:51 PM on 10/27/2010

The Wrestler part is totally anti - woman. Anti - girl.

Get down beetch and bark like a dog.

That's not harmless entertainment.

[jerryatthebeach]

05:41 PM on 10/27/2010

Will the dumb dumbs ever get it. We don't want to hear about your personal lives or snoop into ours. We want a Centrist Gov't!!!!

[bmike]

05:06 PM on 10/27/2010

I wanted to see one with Vitter trying to make a Buy-Not drugs but sex that's what he like doing.

[allengoldchain]

02:25 PM on 10/27/2010

Thank goodness for DVR ? TIVO! I just skip right past all of them. Although I must admit that there were some funny ones.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

02:19 PM on 10/27/2010

The Grayson ad has to be the biggest example of how the left really operates. What a sham. Alan is going to be negotiating a short sale for his home after he gets sent packing on Tuesday.

[Grumpy Old Dude]

02:47 PM on 10/27/2010

Hey Hägar, don't count your chickens yet!

[AddyGmom]

07:51 PM on 10/27/2010

Bleats the sheep


'BaaBaaBeckSheep
Bleatin' like a f00l
Yessir, yessir I'm his t00l

[yemaya]

01:36 PM on 10/27/2010

and that's just the teabagger women candidates!

[Brian Holler]

01:30 PM on 10/27/2010

Haven't the ads been particularly nauseating this year? We all knew they would be. They certainly have not disappointed in that regard. The blame doesn't lie with either party; it lies with both parties. This is just a snipet of what's to come. Now that the Supreme Court has allowed business to officially marry politicians (as if this hadn't been happening already), there is nothing for them to hide anymore. There's a strange thing occuring because of this: In a way, these ads are the most honest we've seen.

We get to see how corrupt our system is, first-hand. It's SO obvious, right? The amount of coverage available has forced politicians to "sort of" admit everything they have to do to "win." Everyone is also keenly aware of how media and business influence who wins, what laws get passed and how the structure is rigged to hinder the middle class. This is easier to see than ever before...for everyone.

I'm proud to be an independent. While diverse, most independents seem to agree on one truth: The vast majority of current Democrats and Republicans do not have our best interests in mind. They listen to talking heads, polls, trends and rely on "what should happen." Those of us living in reality know we have to make it happen. Make it happen on Tuesday with your vote. Trust me. The Dems, the GOP, the tea partiers and all the pundits don't see it coming.

[yemaya]

01:38 PM on 10/27/2010

I would disagree and blame the teabagger movement for sinking the political discourse to a new low.

[Brian Holler]

01:50 PM on 10/27/2010

@yemaya Here's one thing you'll never see in public: I respect your right to disagree. I'll even admit that, if we go by numbers, there are far more Democrats with our best interests in mind. I'll also freely admit that I love our President. I happily voted for him and likely will again in 2012. And your assessment of the teabagger movement? Spot on, in my opinion.

I'm not stupid, I'll be voting for all Democrats in the upcoming election. However, there's a larger problem that needs to be addressed. We need more diversity, voices and, yes, parties in our government. Aren't we supposed to be a democracy? The two-party system is horribly flawed...and something needs to be done for the sake of everyone.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

02:20 PM on 10/27/2010

Grayson is a "teabagger"?

[AddyGmom]

07:52 PM on 10/27/2010

What were you before 'independence ' set in?