Some observers complain about the divisive negative rhetoric and advertising that characterised the [2004 US Presidential] campaign. But this should be seen in historical perspective. In the era of the Founding Fathers, newspapers were extremely partisan, and George Washington was dismayed by the harshness of political language. For much of its early history -- to say nothing of the era of the Civil War and Reconstruction -- the country was as closely divided as it is today, and bitter campaign rhetoric reflected the closeness of the competition. On this topic, I would point people to two books recommended here earlier: "The Creation of the Media" by Paul Starr and "Freedom Just Around the Corner" by Walter McDougall. Cities versus suburbs and rural areas is a better description than coasts versus heartland. If urbanization creates (or exacerbates) political polarization, what does this mean for China? The red and the blue, by Joseph Nye | 
