What price democracy? US elections turning nasty

As the American political bandwagon hits South Carolina, Tim Reid in today's Times writes that 'This state’s primary race has already become the sleaziest leg of the 2008 presidential campaign.'

And this isn't the first time its happened, as Reid explains, back in 2000 there was a similar attack on a candidate: 'After losing badly to Mr McCain in New Hampshire, the Bush team knew – as one operative says – that they had to “chop him up” in South Carolina. Flyers appeared saying that Mr McCain had fathered an illegitimate child with a black woman (he and his wife have an adopted Bangladeshi girl). A whispering campaign was started claiming that his five years as a Vietnamese prisoner of war had made him mentally unstable. His wife was a drug addict, people were told in anonymous telephone calls. Mr Bush and his former chief strategist, Karl Rove – another Atwater protégé – always denied any involvement. But Mr McCain’s campaign never recovered.'

This time in South Carolina it has been 'claimed that Hillary Clinton was having a lesbian affair with Huma Abedin, her beautiful aide' (I wish...to see the photos), and 'Flyers appeared on cars accusing Barack Obama (a Christian) of being a Muslim extremist.'

I've heard SC has a nice side too, so please don't judge it by the actions above.