Mudslinging

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Mudslinging is the exchange of petty, vicious insults, especially between candidates in an election in order to give an opponent a bad appeal to the voters. This phrase can also refer to the slinging or hurling of mud.

JibJab's animation "This Land" is a good example of this, where cartoon versions of George W. Bush and John Kerry insult each other with harsh terms like "redneck," "nutjob," "weenie," and "pinko."

One who uses mudslinging against an opponent is referred to as a mudslinger, defined as "one that uses offensive epithets and invective especially against a political opponent."

The term mudslinging is a colloquialism comprised of two words "mud" and "slinging." Slinging mud is synonymous with insulting or revealing "dirt" on another person; thus forming the word "mudslinging." Additionally, the colloquialism originated in the U.S. during the early 19th century, a time of heated political campaigning.