Jessica Alston

Synthesis: Presidential Elections

May 15, 2015; June 4, 2015

The stresses of being President of the United States are significantly higher than
those in the life of a modern day American due to having to play many roles, such as
commander-in-chief, Chief of State, and Chief of Party, but the most challenging job is
not the responsibilities that come with being in office- its getting elected. Presidential
candidates have to hire people to be part of their election team, make decisions on the
most controversial issues and present them to the public, create a good impression of U.S.
citizens, and much more. However, especially with todays society, the role of television
and broadcasting has had a large impact on elections, putting more pressure on candidates
than ever before. Although some believe that the attention drawn from television is
beneficial towards candidates success in winning due to T.V. being a more effective way
of communicating to people nationwide, in reality, television is actually detrimental to
presidential elections, causing American citizens to stray away from significant issues,
demonstrating that, in this day in age, people are losing sight of what is really important.
Despite the idea television has equalized elections, in actuality, T.V. has brought
about the unfair advantages candidates have over one another, causing voters to favor the
person with the upper hand rather than who is better fit for office. One unfair advantage
television has brought to the attention of its viewers is money. Potential presidents must
pay for time slots in order to have their campaign commercials broadcasted. Candidates
who have the right amount of cash have the ability to inform and stimulatepolitical
interests of theelectorate (Source A). Those who are unable to afford those time slots

must inform voters either through airwaves or going on an inconvenient nationwide tour
delivering electoral speeches. However, since the candidate who is able to afford airing
the commercials is able to reach the American people faster, he is more likely to be
elected, putting the spotlight on effective campaigning rather than the true issues at hand.
Another unjust advantage is the connections certain competitors have with celebrities,
news stations, or potential sponsors. Candidates are able to connect with certain
companies and television stations in order to gain endorsement deals. Some competitors
even have a certain charisma about them that draws in specific groups of people. Bill
Clinton was asked to discuss his underwear by a member of the MTV generation
(Source B). As a result he was able to appeal to a younger audience, which aided in him
winning the election against George Bush. Therefore, since Bill was judged by
standardsused to assessmovie stars (Source B), he won the election due to people
focusing on his image rather than crucial concerns in the nation.
Even though some people assume that television promotes a favorable image, in
reality, T.V. puts the attention on candidates superficial qualities, completely
disregarding their inner selves. One way T.V. has done this is through societys latest
technological advancements. New programs and techniques have been created, such as
green screen, CGI, and Photoshop. With this, television has made it possible for
candidates to ensure that they look better than their opponents, increasing their chance of
being elected. In one of the televised debates during the Kennedy-Nixon election,
Kennedys image on television was crisp (Source C), while Nixons light-colored suit,
wrong makeup, bad posture-was fuzzed (Source C). Of course, the American people
voted for Kennedy, and the image Kennedy projected that day helped citizens decide

whom to give their vote to. Once again, the use of television has converged the election
into a competition for imagesrather than between ideals (Source C). Another way
T.V. puts the focus on candidates outer appearance is through surgeries and clothing.
Potential presidents get physical enhancements in order to look the best they can be. They
are attempting to fulfill the image American citizens have in their head about the
President of the United States. Candidates also try to wear clothing that appeals best to
citizens, whether it be an expensive suit and tie, or wearing the latest fashion designs, in
order to produc[e] nothing but cotton candy for the mind (Source F). Not only is it the
voters, but presidents are putting more time and effort into their appearance rather than
their actual speeches and commentary in debates, losing sight of the real reason they are
running for president.
The catastrophic effect television has on presidential campaigns can be reversed.
Society needs to be less dependent on T.V. and focus more on the real issues on hand.
This generation is so reliable on technology that it knows nothing else. People need to
pick up a newspaper and read what it truly going on, instead of being influenced by a bias
news reporter or a commercial by one candidate attacking another.