Elephants and donkeys are usually the only two animals that pop up in presidential elections.

However, a recent spot aired by the Republican Party has introduced another creature to the campaign trail this year — rats.

In a controversial 30-second commercial attacking Al Gore's stance on prescription drugs, an image of Gore is followed by the phrase "The Gore Prescription Plan" on a black screen. At this point, the second half of the phrase — "Bureaucrats decide" — floats its way onto the screen in fragments.

But this is where the controversy begins.

For one-thirtieth of a second, the word "Rats" completely superimposes the first half of the statement, subliminally implying, perhaps, that Al Gore is a rat.

The Republicans call the advertisement's subliminal message an accident.

The Democrats call it a disappointment and an attempt to reach voters through inappropriate advertising measures.

Given that his percentage is below Gore's in many public polls, this is exactly what George W. Bush does not need to guarantee him a boost in the polls. This supposed advertising ploy has done more damage to Bush's campaign than good because of the media buzz it has stirred.

If the general public begins to believe that this incident was intentional and, perhaps, not isolated, it could have major repercussions on Bush's campaign. The presidential hopeful could look forward to losing current and potential supporters, as well as losing integrity — without which one can not win a presidential election.

But is too much of a fuss being raised over nothing?

One-thirtieth of a second is too short to even comprehend, and it is doubtful that most television viewers would have even noticed the propaganda if it wasn't brought to the public's attention.

Even if the subliminal message did catch the attentive eyes of the public, by this time of the year many potential voters have already made up their minds as to for whom they will cast their ballots on Election Day.

None-the-less, politic parties should not feel the need to use negative campaign ploys to attract voters. The use of propaganda is acceptable and generally used tactfully by all parties, but this example of covert messages compromises a candidate's integrity and honesty for a burning desire to win the election.

At this stage in the game, the presidential hopefuls need to focus on reaching out to voters and boosting their own campaigns rather than to attempt to sabotage the each other's.

Only by reinforcing to the voters what they all stand for will the candidates have a chance at office, because the true road to the White House requires a balance of honesty and integrity.