Voters are trying to look past political attack ads and look for candidates who can compromise

KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can email Charlie at [email protected].

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The people of Kansas City hope their voice will help restore civility to politics. In both Missouri and Kansas, early voters expressed dissatisfaction with personal attacks in political ads.

“It’s very frustrating,” Kelly Hackleman said. “I probably spent too much time reading different places. I’m always looking for what’s true.”

Jack Le Roy in Leavenworth tries to look past the attacks.

“Trump cares about America, the other party doesn’t,” Le Roy said. “He’s done it before and he’ll do it again.”

Charlie Keegan

Carol Ann Davis blanks out lines on TV calling Vice President Kamala Harris “dangerous liberal” and former President Donald Trump “a risk we can’t afford.”

“You can’t listen to propaganda on TV, radio or other people,” she said. “You have to get the facts. Do your homework. Make a decision, it’s your decision.”

Charlie Keegan

American Public Square is an organization based at William Jewell College in Liberty. The focus is on improving the tone of public conversations about politics.

Ambassador Allan Katz founded the organization and even he is tired of the current political scene.

“I really want it to be over,” Katz admitted. “For me, in many ways, it was the most difficult election I can remember, simply because of the nature of the campaigns that are being waged.”

Charlie Keegan

Katz taught political science and was ambassador to Portugal during part of the Obama administration.

He believes political parties use attack ads because they make the stakes high. When the stakes are high, people donate to the parties. Then the cycle repeats itself.

“If you used that hostility as the basis for your election, the people who elected you expect you to maintain that level of hostility. “It’s almost like we’ve reached a point where compromise is a dirty word,” Katz said.

But voters who spoke to KSHB 41 News would support a compromise.

“We have to be fair and treat each other with respect, dignity, understanding and some compromise, but we have to make it work,” Marty Hackleman said.

Voters hope that the person they elect can live up to their vision of civility.

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