Obama Hits Romney Less in TV Ads Than Bush Pounded Kerry

In March 2004, as Massachusetts Senator John Kerry emerged as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, then-President George W. Bush was ready to strike, dropping $40 million on ads that mostly attacked his opponent on defense spending, terrorism and taxes.

Kerry’s negative ratings with voters rose to 37 percent in mid-April from 26 percent in mid-February, according to Gallup polls. Though the race remained close in head-to-head matchups, the Democrat’s unfavorable ratings continued to climb and Bush won November’s election in which he got 51 percent of the popular vote to 48 percent for Kerry.