By Sarah Scully and William Rabbe

Nixon learned of the power of television the hard way in 1960 -- unshaven and sweaty in the debate against John Kennedy, he appeared flustered and less fit for the Presidency than the handsome and charming Kennedy. Since the 1950's television has been the medium of choice for political advertising -- and as history shows, a good TV spot can be the decisive factor in any election. The following are our top 10 Presidential campaign ads of all time, based on creativity and effectiveness:

10. George H. W. Bush's "Tank" Ad, 1988

An instant classic, this George H. W. Bush's spot portrayed opponent Michael Dukakis as as hopelessly out touch on national defense. It mocked him by juxtaposing a goofy video of him riding a tank smiling with a serious narration about national security. Did I mention Dukakis is wearing a helmet?

9. Richard Nixon's "Honorable End in Vietnam" Ad, 1968

Richard Nixon had a "secret plan" to get America out of Vietnam in 1968 -- "peace with honor" would go on to become his buzz-phase for his '68 campaign. This ad effectively tied his Democratic opponent to the unsuccessful war in Vietnam and marked his political comeback.

8. George W. Bush's "I Voted For It, Before I Voted Against It" Ad, 2004

The Bush team seized one of Kerry's most careless slips on the issue of voting against an $87 Billion supplemental package for US troops in Iraq, he said, "I actually did vote for the 87 Billion, before I voted against it." Not a helpful statement to make when you've been accused of "taking both sides on every issue." Unfortunately, we don't have the ad, but the clip of Kerry's quote is included above.

7. Dwight Eisehower's "I Like Ike" Ad by Roy Disney, 1952

One of the earliest TV ads and one of the few animated spots ever -- it was made by Disney. What else could you need to win the White House? Mickey Mouse for President in 2012.

6. Ronald Reagan's "Mondalenomics" Ad, 1984

Following Mondale's debate victory, Reagan reminded voters of Mondale's tax policy in this particularly cutting ad of the 1984 campaign. And Mondalenomics isn't nearly as catchy as Reaganomics!

5. George W. Bush's "Kerry Windsurfing" Ad, 2004

Windsurfing? Something only a New England liberal elitist would do... Much to the Bush team's relish, George W. Bush's windsurfing ad solidified the notion of John Kerry as a "elitist flip-flopper" in the minds of many undecided voters.

4. Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" Ad, 1984

Praised as "warm and fuzzy" the "Morning in America" Campaign was an easy way for Reagan to appear above the fray in 1984. While probably the most optimistic Presidential campaign ads ever, it cleverly asks, "why would we want to return to where we were less than four short years ago?" Even after he became President, Reagan was taking pot-shots at the Carter years...

3. John Kennedy's "Is Nixon Experienced?" Ad, 1960

The classic 1960 battle between Nixon and Kennedy was fought hard over National Security -- and Nixon, having been the Vice President for 8 years, was claiming the experience card. Surprisingly, his supposed ally, Dwight Eisenhower, undercut this argument and the Kennedy team exploited it for all it was worth. When asked what Nixon had accomplished in the Eisenhower White House, Ike jokingly said, "if you give me a week, I might think of one." The impact of the quote was no joke -- Nixon was infuriated with the President giving Kennedy a handout and the resulting ad was a instrumental in getting Kennedy elected.

2. George H. W, Bush's "Willie Horton" Ad, 1988

Criticized as racist and fear-mongering, this ad was devastating to the Dukakis campaign in 1988. It linked Dukakis to the furlough program in Massachusetts that let convicted criminals out on temporary leave -- one such prisoner, William Horton, committed rape on his weekend furlough and was made into a central campaign issue. Bush strategist, Lee Atwater had correctly predicted that: "by the time this election is over, Willie Horton will be a household name."

1. Lyndon Johnson's "Daisy" Ad, 1964

Probably the most effective political ad of all time -- Lyndon Johnson portrayed his opponent, Barry Goldwater, as an extremist who was all too willing to use nuclear weapons frivolously. The ad was actually pulled from TV by LBJ, but it was repeated endlessly on network news due to its controversial nature -- so the message resonated, but Johnson avoided culpability.