Who is James K. Polk?

Warning: An Idealistic Post Wil Follow
Why do campaigns have to involve so much slander? I was reading some of the rumors about Obama, Biden, McCain, and Palin today. This stuff is awful! And most of it, no one cares anyway! Sure, the candidates didn't make up all this junk about each other - most likely others began the rumors. But in the actual campaigns of the candidates, there has been so much said against the other candidates. I wish that candidates could just say all the good things about themselves, their plans, and why their plans will work. That they wouldn't say how bad the other candidate will be, or why his plan won't work.
Interesting story: During the 1844 campaign, Henry Clay was running against James K. Polk, a virtual unknown. In fact, Polk never asked to president. President Andrew Jackson called Polk to him and said that Polk was his favorite for the presidency. Polk was nominated and said, "It has been well observed that the office of President of the United States should neither be sought nor declined. I have never sought it, nor should I feel at liberty to decline it, if conferred upon me by the voluntary suffrages of my fellow citizens." But back to my point. For his campaign slogan, Henry Clay said, "Who is James K. Polk?" Now, Henry Clay was a smart guy - ran for president a lot but was never elected - who has some really good ideas. This definitely was not one of them. It seems like it would work - its a least funny. But if you hear, "Who is James K. Polk?" over and over as a slogan, whose name are you going to remember when you are voting? Say you don't know much about either candidate, who are you going to vote for? If you have at least heard one of the names, you are probably going to vote for them. So guess who won the election? You got it. James K. Polk.
Even today we hear commercials like this..."So-and-so has a dark hidden past....Don't vote for So-and-so." Yes, it is a lot easier for people to know about the candidates today - most of us do have a TV or some sort of access to the internet. But again, if I am somehow obvlious about the candidates, I would vote for the one whose name I at least recognize.
Anyway, back to my main point. I wish that presidential campaigns could be specifically about the candidate, their plan, and why that makes them the best person to be the next (president, governor, etc.). I know that that is idealistic, and not very likely to ever happen, and maybe someday I will even change my mind and laugh at my own naivete.