IS NEGATIVE POLITICS THE SURE TICKET TO SUCCESS IN BEING NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT 2012 ?...........

With the ongoing volatility in the emerging 2012 Presidential Nomination race, and the increasing surge by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, as the prime alternative to former Governor Mitt Romney, Gingrich's lead in the polls of 3 out of the 4, of the first states to cast caucus and primary votes next month in double digits; the Romney Campaign has decided to go on a negative blitz against Gingrich, over the next four to eight weeks, attempting to preclude an early knock out punch in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida,  Television advertisements, pronouncements from candidate Mitt Romney himself, and use of surrogates like Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Representative Peter King of New York, and former Governor and White House Chief of Staff, John Sununu, of New Hampshire, will all be mounting negative attacks on Newt Gingrich and his record, questioning his fidelity, steadiness, leadership, and conservative credentials.  For me, as for all conscientious citizens seeking pro-active, and productive, positive, issue driven and debated, campaigns for elected office, especially the highest office in the United States, and most significant World Leadership position of all, is Negative campaigning the way politicians of any philosophy, or party, have to overtake their opponents, and prevail in being nominated or elected to office ?  It is a travesty of our hallowed American Way, of  Fairness that candiates with conservative, or liberal, traditional, or progressive, Republican, Democrat, Third Party, or Independent, find it necessary not to campaign on their own merits and positions, and on justifiable constructive criticism of their opponents, versus making a negative and nasty attacks, and a virtual war zone of the campaign trail.  Americans are bigger, better, and more fair minded, than an interpersonal mud fight can achieve.  May the integrity and the decency of American political officeseekers, be their practice in the 2012 Election and always...........Fr.  Troy