Young Voters See a Generally Positive Campaign Cycle (Updated)

Update: Here's another thought. I wonder if there is any connection between this and declining TV viewership among younger voters? Most attack ads are going to be delivered via TV advertising and repeated on network news coverage. These things also make their way onto YouTube, Blogs, MoveOn emails and more, so maybe there's nothing here, but it's a thought.
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Here's a little bit of weird data in a poll taken by Pew. Despite weeks of attacks by McCain - many of which were declared outright lies by the media and even Karl Rove - and another week in which Obama punched back with a lot of negative ads, young voters this cycle are less likely than young voters in 2004 to view this campaign cycle as overly negative.

When the public is asked to characterize the tone of the presidential campaign thus far, fewer now than in 2004 describe the race as too negative. Four years ago, more than six-in-ten (62%) said that the campaign was too negative, while just 32% said it was not. Now, 43% describe the race as too negative and a slight majority (51%) says it is not.

This shift in the balance of opinion is found across gender and party, but nowhere is it stronger than among young people (those under 30). For this group, 58% said that the campaign was too negative in 2004, while just three-in-ten (30%) describe it this way today. That is markedly different than older Americans. Among those 65 and older, a majority (61%) described the presidential race as too negative in 2004 and still half (52%) describe the campaign as too negative this year.

I guess Obama's generally positive campaign rhetoric might account for this? It seems odd that young people aren't responding negatively to so many attacks on their candidate . . .

In general, this is a very good thing. Negative campaigns can sometimes depress turnout - including young voter turnout. If most young voters don't see the campaign as too negative by now, there's not too much of a chance anything we see in the next 6 weeks will change their mind.