Negative advertising can raise legitimate questions about candidates and are actually good for democracy
Politics
Has Obama ‘Gotten It’ in Time?
The nation wants a business-friendly pep talk, not austerity plans. Whether the President can deliver before November is in question
What the Rev. Jesse Jackson Has To Say About Gay Marriage
TIME talks to the Reverend Jesse Jackson about politics, religion and why blacks should support marriage equality
Who Is More Thoughtful—Obama or Romney?
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney present a sharp contrast in decision-making styles—one impulsive, the other overtly deliberative
Why Obama Hasn’t ‘Lost’ the South
A shift in thinking means entire regions are less prone to such tribalism
John Edwards Trial: Tawdry Testimony, But Was There a Crime?
Salacious details aside, the prosecution may not have proved its case
Will Black Voters Punish Obama for His Support of Gay Rights?
The President might be on the right side of history, but he’s on the wrong side of a crucial voting bloc
What History Tells Us About Obama’s Chances
The worst thing the incumbent could do would be to let his mediocre approval rating spark self-pity
Why Obama Owns bin Laden
Judging from the Republican response, President Obama’s ad asking whether Mitt Romney would have ordered the raid that captured Osama bin Laden raises serious questions
Obama v. Romney: Who Will Win the Economy and How?
The Republican strategist and Democratic pollster in their biweekly face-off about Election 2012
What History Tells Us About Romney’s Chances
The past suggests candidates who survive tough primaries do well in the general election
Is Romney Using Mormonism as a Shield?
There shouldn’t be a religious shroud thrown over legitimate questions about the public record
These Savings Are Unreal!
Romney embraced a budget plan that can never work. It’s a joke — or a cynical sham.