Why worry about the techicalities? It's basically just all a bunch of emotionally charged BS intended to manipulate this or that sector of the public into voting for (or more likely against) someone.

The fact that people fall for it is pretty sad, but easily predictable, I suppose. It worked that way in ancient Rome too. Just slander your opponent(s) by any shoddy means you can come up with, and make sure the gossip gets repeated over and over again in the media. Anything that is repeated enough times in the media is soon believed by most people....if, that is, they are predisposed to want to believe it. It's as easy as cracking an egg.

Thus are elections are decided, by innuendo and triviality.