Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The polls indicate the presidential race is tightening.
CNN's latest poll of polls shows Barack Obama leading John McCain by just one point - 45 to 44 percent. That's down from a 3-point lead in yesterday's average of polls and down considerably from a few weeks ago.
While Obama was vacationing in Hawaii last week - McCain had the stage almost all to himself. Suddenly the Russians rolled into Georgia and McCain was in the catbird seat. Also some of McCain's negative ads - a la Paris Hilton and Britney Spears "celebrity" spot - seem to have resonated with voters. And it looks like McCain made inroads with some members of the Republican base with his interview at Rick Warren's church.
Watch: Cafferty: Obama go negative?
All of this creates a problem for Barack Obama who has gone out of his way to run a positive campaign based on the issues, and for the most part has chosen not to engage in the schoolyard stuff that characterizes U.S. politics. He may no longer have that luxury.
Obama is now out with some hard-hitting tv ads running in local markets in key battleground states. He spent 400-thousand dollars on Sunday alone to run two negative spots - more than 600 times - focusing on the economy and McCain… in places like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida.
These new ads have been complemented with a tougher tone on the stump where Obama is going after McCain for saying Iraqis would greet Americans as liberators and for challenging Obama's patriotism.
Some Democratic strategists say Obama's aggressive tone reflects the reality of the race and say he should have gotten tougher sooner.
Here’s my question to you: In light of tightening polls, does Barack Obama have to go negative against John McCain?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Beth writes:
McCain's negatives speak for themselves. All Obama has to do is put up that picture of him hugging Bush and the statistic that he has voted for what Bush wanted 95% of the time.
Erin from SW Michigan writes:
I think he should go "ugly truth" which is different than the distorted, fear mongering tactics of the right. There is so much ugly truth about McCain yet the mainstream media is reluctant to introduce it. They are waiting for the Obama camp or MoveOn to launch the attack and then the media can "pick-up" on it as a legitimate issue of debate. The problem is...Obama won't throw the punch and McCain goes unscathed.
Brian writes:
Sen. Obama's biggest problem is his lack of experience. The Republicans didn't need Hillary to point that out-it was obvious that would be his weakness. Going negative will not change that. The only thing that will counter his lack of experience is a VP that he can lean on. Unfortunately the obvious choice would send "Obamatons" into fits, so November is looking gloomy for left-leaners.
Michael from Lorain, Ohio writes:
I think Hillary already showed us once this year that waiting till the eleventh hour to lob the kitchen sink at the opposition doesn't work. So yeah, Jack, he should go negative now and keep it centered on the issues. Sadly it does tarnish his reputation of being a new kind of politician.
Mark from Denver writes:
What? Obama went negative along time ago. Who are you trying to BS? All Obama does is say how much McCain is like Bush, how McCain is this or not that. Portray McCain in a bad light and offer platitudes up to the masses. Such depth to his intellect. Jimmy Carter II here we come.
Kevin from Kennesaw, Georgia writes:
Who answers their landline anymore anyway? I use my land line like a personal business phone. I do not even screen calls I just check my messages. Everyone that is important to someone has their cell phone numbers. I think the polls are disproportionate to the elderly.