Democrat Brian Schweitzer and Republican Bob Brown, candidates for governor of Montana, have signed each other’s campaign pledges vowing to avoid mudslinging.
Brown’s pledge would voluntarily prohibit either candidate from using any media advertising, direct mail or phone calls “to criticize, attack, condemn or characterize in any way” his opponent. Instead, candidates could use these paid communications only “to highlight their own views on issues of importance to Montana,” according to a report in the Billings Gazette.
Schweitzer’s pledge said both candidates would agree that all advertising, signs and direct mail “will contain descriptions of our positive visions for the future of Montana.”
Each candidate can criticize the other in advertising as long as he takes “responsibility by using his own voice, and, where applicable, his own image. A candidate cannot hide behind actors or announcers.”
Schweitzer’s pledge additionally calls for each candidate to agree in good faith to prevent “third parties from conducting attacks against the opposing candidate.” If the request is ignored by a third party, the candidate who stands to gain the most from the attack will immediately condemn the activity and publicly demand that the attacks stop immediately. If the attacks continue, the pledge is void, according to the newspaper report.
