In an ode to the fine art of nasty politicking, PBS headed to South Carolina to investigate the history of dirty campaigns in this all-important early primary state and attempted to find out whether or not political smears will influence the result of the 2008 presidential election.  The show is part of their NOW series appropriately titled “Dirty Politics 2008” and airs tonight at 8:30 p.m.

Political mudslinging as a campaign tactic is as popular as it’s ever been. Romney, Clinton, Huckabee, Giuliani, Obama – no one’s managed to steer clear of targeted rumors and malicious gossip. NOW on PBS travels to South Carolina, the home of legendary no-holds-barred campaigner Lee Atwater, to see where negative stories come from, how they spread, and whether they can be effectively defeated with positive messaging.

“In South Carolina, we know how to run negative campaigns,” Rod Shealy, a veteran campaign strategist who was convicted for violating campaign laws, tells NOW. “Your challenge as a campaign is to damage your opponent without getting caught doing it.”

It never seems to amaze me how much outsiders are shocked by what is accepted as standard operating procedure ’round these parts.  And I don’t know if that says more about them or us.  Although, after reading this interview with Rod Shealy, I think it may be us — or at least him.

Anyway, be sure to watch tonight at 8:30 p.m. on SCETV and you might even see a familiar quote or two.