How do candidates handle attacks against their character and personal insults?

1988 presidential candidate Michael Dukakis says the fundamental mistake he made was not having a "strategy for dealing with Bush's attack campaign."

Take a look at the debate, how did the candidates criticize each other? Were they effective?

In the same year, vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen insulted Dan Quayle in the third vice presidential debate by saying Quayle didn't have the right to compare himself to President Kennedy. How was it resolved? Did Quayle handle it well?

Bentsen wasn't the only one on the attack. In his interview with Jim Lehrer, Vice President Dan Quayle said his strategy was to attack Dukakis. What were his reasons?

What is the role of insults and personal attacks in politics? How do people use them in everyday life?

Conflict resolution experts state that there are three ways to handle an insult:

1. Walk away
2. Attack back
3. Come to a principled conclusion
   

Does this apply to politics?

Click here for a complete conflict resolution curriculum.