An hour before this year's presidential candidates would meet to spar over the issue of political ads, among other things, two pundits met to analyze the surfeit of ads that have bombarded the public in recent months.

"In more than 20 years in this business, I can safely say that these are the most mediocre political ad campaigns I have ever seen," said Ray Strother, president of the American Association of Political Consultants.

Strother, a 1999 Institute of Politics fellow, joined current fellow and former campaign manager for McCain 2000 Rick Davis at the ARCO Forum in the hour before last night's presidential debate to examine the effectiveness of the political advertisements in the campaigns.

The event was moderated by IOP Director and former Arkansas Senator David Pryor.

After reviewing a total of 22 ads that were aired over a two-week period in battleground states such as Michigan, the consultants, who are often diametrically opposed on any political question, agreed that the advertisements were by all standards lacking in emotional appeal to voters.

The other key trend identified was the increasing importance of pollster data in the formulation of ad concepts. More than any other past presidential race, Strother postulated, the demand to gain percentage points with certain demographics has squeezed any kind of creativity out of the candidates' messages.

"Because the race has been boring, has had no energy, enthusiasm, and hasn't excited anyone, it will be the first guy who pops up at the debate with some sense of passion or humor who will end up on top," Davis said.

In lieu of creative ideas, Strother noted, the campaigns have often resorted to airing "pollster ads," which consist mostly of a series of key text phrases flashed across the screen that do not actually tell about the candidate's stance on the issue; rather, they mirror the phrases of policy that voters recognize in the hopes of making them think that they can "identify with" the candidate.