There's an article on HuffPo and at the end of the article there is an embedded video from 1952 with a question
"First Televised ATTACK Ad?"
VIDEO here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/fcc-online-political-advertisement-disclosure_n_1058408.htmlNote: in the video there is a republican with 'two heads'
So, then I wandered over to YouTube and found a few other ads from 1952 (but they wouldn't be considered attack ads like the one above)
Eisenhower Presidential Campaign Ad - "I Like Ike" Animated Television Commercial (1952)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zB2rqaLXP4Adlai Ike 1952
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAsEDVIJ-841952 - Adlai for President
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgaUVvmMRLUAdlai Stevenson 1952 campaign ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxYDTTNYMicTimes sure have changed :)