Lee Atwater: Karl Rove Mentor, Godfather of Modern Political Dirty Tactics, “Most evil man in America”

Lee Atwater is the godfather of modern day dirty politics, that's according to a PBS Frontline documentary that just screened on the late Republican political attack dog and strategist and mentor to Karl Rove and President Bush Snr.

Lee Atwater is credited with inventing modern techniques of electoral politics, including promulgating unflattering rumors and attempting to drive up opponents' negative poll numbers with the aggressive use of opposition research. He has been characterized as the "happy hatchet man" and "Darth Vader" of the Republican Party.

He was dubbed "the most evil man in America," reveled in character assassination with a niche strategy in demeaning the mental health of his political opponents.

He was most famous for being the brains behind the “Willie Horton” ad that attacked 1992 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis. He is said to have greatly inspired political operative Karl Rove. The dirty politicking of the two Republican strategists, Rove and Atwater, greatly contributed to the election of right wing Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W Bush and George W. Bush.