There are two local races I have watched with some interest, the race for Indiana’s 9^th Congressional district and the race for Kentucky’s 3rd District. The 9^th District interests me because I live in the 9^th District and also because Baron Hill ran one of the dirtiest, and most effective smear campaigns I have ever seen, certainly the nastiest campaign this area has ever seen. I’ll concentrate on the 9^th District first and address the 3^rd District later.

The two candidates for the 9^th District seat were Democratic challenger Baron Hill and Republican incumbent Mike Sodrel. Hill won the seat, I believe mostly due too overall anti-republican sentiment, I would love to see some sort of unbiased poll of voters to determine just how much Hill’s campaign tactics contributed to his victory. Among the most notable negative ads I saw, (I don’t watch a lot of TV) were two mailers sent out by Hill, both used candid photos of Sodrel, in both photos Sodrel was smoking and the cigarette in his hand had been enhanced or added with a photo editing program. Additionally several TV commercials were aired which accused Sodrel of everything from corruption, to accepting bribes to being associated with the most recent congressional pervert to get outed, Mark Foley. I doubt I’ll ever be able to use the phrase “The Honorable Baron Hill” with a straight face.

I know politics, particularly local politics isn’t generally conducted by Marquis of Queensbury Rules, I am pragmatic enough to know that it never will be. I only saw a couple of Sodrel’s TV ads and they were pretty straight if I remember correctly, at least nothing over the top. Hill’s campaign on the other hand was run with all the class, aplomb and dignity of a shit fight in the monkey house at the Zoo.

The use of doctored photos does bring up some really interesting possibilities though. I mean hells bells, the gloves could really come off now! Want a picture of a romantic interlude between Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi with Janet Reno in the background in a dominatrix costume while Al Gore and John Kerry split a fifth of Johnny Walker and pass a giant doobie back and forth, google images and some mad photoshop skillz are all that’s required. If I didn’t think someone would track me down and sue me I swear I’d call game on and invite any readers I might have to post their blackmail pictures here, open season, everyone is a target, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, smear ‘em all, completely destroy the validity of photography as an honest medium, a picture is no longer worth a thousand words, it’s not worth a wooden nickel.

Q