This interesting point is buried 16 paragraphs into the story:
The early start also means presidential hopefuls face an unprecedented season of holiday campaigning that promises to test the limits of public patience and inject new uncertainty into an already volatile race.Among the tricky questions of yule-time etiquette: Is it OK to run a slashing attack ad during commercial breaks from "It's a Wonderful Life"? How about handing out caucus recruitment cards alongside Salvation Army bell-ringers in Iowa?
Tom Vilsack, the former governor of Iowa and a key advisor to Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, said White House hopefuls were entering "new territory, new ground, and we're all going to have to tread lightly.""It's pretty fair to say people aren't going to be too thrilled with telephone calls that break up their . . . holiday meal or any kind of religious celebration," Vilsack said. "They're not going to appreciate a barrage of negative comments or negative campaigning, before Dec. 25 anyway. After that, it may be easier to do."
Campaigning during the holidays will present other challenges. TV spots are costlier, and there is more competition from retail advertisers. All those greeting cards and packages can bog down the postal system, which can affect the delivery of carefully timed direct-mail pitches. And many people leave town, making voter contact -- an integral part of a campaign's turnout operation -- a lot tougher.
But the hardest thing may be adopting the appropriate tone, particularly in paid advertisements, which remain the most effective way of reaching voters.
"You don't want to be too intrusive," said Tom Rath, a veteran New Hampshire Republican strategist who is advising Romney. The former Massachusetts governor had been running ads bashing Clinton and swiping at Republican rival Rudolph W. Giuliani, but switched in the days before Thanksgiving to a softer-focus spot featuring swelling violins and home movies of his wholesome-looking family.
"You've got to find the right pitch," Rath said. "I'm not sure a very blatant, cutting-edge negative ad campaign will work during the season of good will toward man."
Can it be that January primaries are our salvation from the mud throwers? Could the need to keep the anger down reduce campaign ad budgets, too? Should we perhaps move Election Day itself to New Year's?