When the Democrats held their convention in Boston, Mr. Kerry's advisers made a point of saying they were instructing speakers to refrain from going after Mr. Bush, a strategy that some Democrats questioned as the memory of Mr. Kerry's convention faded and polls showed Mr. Bush back on the rise. By contrast, Mr. Bush's aides said they were determined to use this week tearing down Mr. Kerry, in the calculation that Mr. Bush almost certainly cannot win unless voters are convinced that they cannot vote for Mr. Kerry.

The double standard here makes my head spin. If Kerry goes negative, he's portrayed as desperate and hateful. If Bush goes negative, he "hates to do it" and is bringing facts to the voter.

An article well worth reading.