A clean campaign, please

In the last two weeks, the Democratic primary has heated up as state Treasurer Phil Angelides has begun directly criticizing Steve Westly, particularly Westly's choice to campaign with Gov. Schwarzenegger in early 2004. So today, Westly sent a letter to Angelides today saying: With less than two months remaining until the June 6 primary election, I believe it is time for bothof us to take a positive campaign pledge. But the letter hedges and Westly himself does not pledge a clean campaign, or so the letter seems, unless Angelides does. I am prepared to pledge publicly not to be the first to initiate any paid advertising in this primary campaign that attacks the other by name. I would like to ask you to do the same. Everywhere I go in California, voters are fed up with negative campaigns – and that includes the overwhelming majority of Democratic voters. That is not quite a clean campaign pledge, but asking for Angelides to make one and saying Westly will follow suit. The disclaimer of "any paid advertising in this primary campaign that attacks the other by name" seems awfully specific, as well. What about ads that say "my primary opponent....[insert negative comment here]"?