Post-debate Election Predictions

Most media outlets proclaimed Hillary Clinton won last night’s presidential debate. The stakes seem high–almost 100 million people watched the debate. One would hope that they paid close attention to the things the candidates said.

I wonder if it’s that simple. Do the debates even matter? Slanted “news” reports from the left and the right have demonized the candidates to the point where it’s difficult to find objective summaries of their policies, much less even-handed analysis. Even if such analyses existed consistently, Trump has launched several preemptive strikes. The media is all biased towards the “liberals,” he claims; anything Clinton says is “just words,” which, of course, is true, but it makes one wonder why he’d bother to debate in the first place.

I’m not so sure that the media leans left consistently. Matt Lauer’s “town hall” with the candidates earlier this month pandered in Trump’s direction, and the Drudge Report gets more hits than most left/center publications. Regardless, I worry for our republic when the preponderance of voters suspects that the mainstream media can’t be trusted to report simple facts in an unbiased manner.

Moving forward, I’m curious: which of the attributes below will make the most difference when you vote? Vote, then let me know in the space below why you respond the way you do.

[poll id=”11″]

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26 Responses to Post-debate Election Predictions

  1. Jackson Sparkman says:

    Pragmatism is key in any election. You can be honest, yes. You can be the most progressive liberal, innovating our government. Civility is key in manifesting diplomacy. All of these pail in comparison to the honest gift of being an effective leader. Its about saying something, and getting it done.

  2. John B says:

    Any one person can be honest in any election. Honesty is the best policy. Any one person can argue that civility is important in diplomacy. Being innovated does not amount to anything unless you actually act upon it. Be effective in what you say you will do. Do not completely turn something around and not get it done. All of these coincide with each other in being an effective leader. They are all important, but effectiveness in what you do is the key, not your mouth.

  3. Kamal Bhalla says:

    Saying what one says has a lot of vigor, but doing what one says makes a capacious impact than anything else. The effectiveness what they preach is what really would mean immensely in the presidential election. Words can have an abundant of dissimilar meanings depending on how one interprets it, but seeing something done can be seen as essentially a solitary fact.

  4. DeDe Baker says:

    I chose honesty. The way things are going right now, this is the only thing on my mind. They both can accuse each other of every crime under the sun, but who’s telling the truth. In addition to that, they both can claim to be the Messiah sent to save the United States, but honestly, who has the answers? Yeah, effectiveness and civility matter, but would you rather have an effective president that you don’t know their next move because every thing they say is always contradictory to itself or have an honest president that doesn’t always have the best ideas. Personally, I would rather have a president who knows when they are wrong, and are not afraid to admit it rather than a pompous, narcissistic liar. I know many will disagree, but I would much rather have someone who messes up and admits faults than someone who is “perfect”. I feel like I can relate to that person alot more….if this makes any sense.

  5. Brianna Ladnier says:

    I voted effectiveness. In full honesty, telling the entire and complete truth, can leave you with an arm twisted behind your back. Strategically playing your words weilds a better result in large scale elections. Effectiveness in the promises made in your campaign to the people that spent their time, effort, and possibly money to support your efforts should be met at all costs. If you say you’re going to do something, you better complete the task or all you are is an ineffective liar.

  6. Brianna Ladnier says:

    I voted effectiveness. In full honesty, telling the entire and complete truth, can leave you with an arm twisted behind your back. Strategically playing your words wields a better result in large scale elections. Effectiveness in the promises made in your campaign to the people that spent their time, effort, and possibly money to support your efforts should be met at all costs. If you say you’re going to do something, you better complete the task or all you are is an ineffective liar.

  7. Angella Osinde says:

    I voted for civility – why?
    Partly it goes with the patriotism and pride in America. I would like other countries to be as proud of the US president as I would.

    Recent media reports that Philippine president Duterte made comments that “likened himself…to Hitler”, and I would not want our future president to make such brash comments. Although the other three traits are important, I could not ignore that with relations – impressions make a huge difference.
    Here’s the link from the “slanted” media source
    http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/30/asia/duterte-hitler-comparison/

  8. Aidan Dunkelberg says:

    I think that the answer to this question can change based on both the candidates and on the situation of the country. In some elections, there is fairly little question about the ability of the candidates to oversee and ensure an effective system of government. In this case, it is appropriate to designate questions of civility, honesty, or innovation as having more importance than effectiveness. However, this election is vastly different from previous elections, in that one of the major party candidates has no previous political experience at any level. This leaves the general public with no sense of this candidate’s capacity to run the country, as opposed to all recent elections in which at least some example of the candidate’s political ability existed. Therefore, the question of effectiveness is not minimized by any preexisting knowledge of this candidate’s ability to govern effectively, and as such becomes much more important than other questions. Effectiveness is the first test of a candidate’s worthiness to be president, which after it is determined can make way for other questions of a candidate’s presidential ability. But until effectiveness is affirmed for both candidates–and in this election there is still very much an argument that it has not been–then other considerations should not be weighed equally.

  9. Amber Jackson says:

    Effectiveness is definitely the most important factor that needs to be used while evaluating each candidate for the presidential election.Civility is important and preferred but not necessary. Everything a candidate says should not have to come in present with a bow wrapped on top of it. It’s impossible to please everyone or for someone to not get offended in a election. Honesty is definitely important but not a determining factory. Innovation doesn’t always equate to effectiveness.Effectiveness is important because it’s essentially what we’re electing them for. We need someone who can evoke change and who can make the quality of life better in America.

  10. Jagger Riggle says:

    I voted for effectiveness. If you play your cards right, you can be a very efficient leader without lying, but you might have to stretch the truth a little bit. In today’s society, with all of the terrorism and atrocities that are going on, people might take advantage of you if you are completely open about everything. If you do not tell anyone and take big steps to try to prevent terrorism and attacks, then what is the harm in not telling exactly what you did to do so. However, if you can be truthful about something that will help you, then you should do it. If you say that you are going to do something and actually do it, then the people that you are over will like you better and will respect you more.

  11. Devon M says:

    Honestly(lol), I think honesty is the best policy. I believe that with honesty, one can effectively run a country and make allies without tarnishing others. When a person is honest, even though it may be brutal, everyone else knows they will not lie. There would be no skepticism in their thought patterns which I ultimately believe is the best trait.

  12. Shuchi Patel says:

    I believe effectiveness should mean the most in a presidential election. The reason why is because that is one of the few ways that America is going to improve. Yes, politicians can claim that they will do something, but who is going to actually DO something? Let’s see if Donald can actually build his wall.

  13. Mariat Thankachan says:

    For good candidates to make good presidents, effectiveness is crucial. No matter how detailed their plans are or how honestly they communicate their goals, the candidates must hold the capability of achieving what they say they will accomplish. Even if it takes a long time or a great amount of determination, the art of getting to an outcome is the true skill.

  14. Lilah Denton says:

    All of the traits are important, but I chose civility because I think it’s really important to be civil and courteous. I try to be at all times, and think that the leader of a nation should be too, at the very least. Yes, effectiveness is probably far more important, but people will do crazy things to be effective. I mean, if you want to change something for the better, it doesn’t matter how awful you are as long as you get there, right? I obviously don’t know much, or anything, about politics, but I cannot stand rude people.

  15. Samuel Patterson says:

    Innovation is a crucial attribute to be held by a presidential candidate. This seems to be imperative for any person seeking a leadership position, but why was I the only blogger who thought so. If Dr. Easterling would allow me to pursue this point, I would assume that one can argue that an innovative presidential candidate is only elected once in a blue moon, and the people voting in this open forum have not experienced such a president. I can only attest to the accounts of history in saying that Lyndon Baynes Johnson was our last truly innovative president innovative implementing many unique programs to mitigate poverty and racial inequality. Back to the point, innovation, as an attribute, is important to me as a future voter because of the prosperity it brings to all people.

  16. Meagan Pittman says:

    A president can possess many “good” traits, but if they are not effective in getting things done for the betterment of the country, they are just simply seat-warmers in the oval office. Most presidents who focus solely on civility are all talk and no action. Civil presidents usually aren’t honest because the truth isn’t pretty. A good president doesn’t necessarily have to be innovative either, usually the best solution to problems are awfully simple. A country requires someone who will take initiative to bring it up to par, and someone to face problems full on.

  17. Vera L. Taire says:

    I chose the attribute of honesty for my deciding quality, although really I cannot vote and don’t see the point in speculation. I think it’s a little silly for me to be involved, or to waste my time forming an opinion, when the matter isn’t mine to decide. I recognize the argument that it’s good practice for when I am voting age, and that it is good to be involved in current events, and that I will be living under whichever candidate is selected. And to that I answer, and so? What if I, like millions of other Americans, don’t mind going in to this matter unprepared. What if I, like millions of others, do not have the time and energy to care about the big picture of the world? What if I, like every other American, will continue to live whether the candidate I agree with rises to office or not? I do not have a voice, and I do not care to waste my time on this issue.

    However shout out for Honesty, because the world might run smoother if we weren’t all dirty liars.

  18. Erin Owens says:

    I think that effectiveness is the most important quality that our next president should have. I doubt that any politician has been fully honest, but many have been successful. Innovation and civility are useless unless, our next president is effective in fixing the many problems that affect America.

  19. Kendall Wells says:

    A United States president should have all 4 attributes, but we could not get that lucky. Effectiveness is the most important characteristic a president should have. A candidate could be civil and “honest” in debates, but how many of those words are just empty promises? Innovation is awesome, but without effectiveness, innovation is another empty promise. Effectiveness is the key to improving the daily lives of Americans.

  20. Aurelia Caine says:

    I voted effectiveness. I think that is the most important because that’s what we put them in office for. We want them to make things happen! If they weren’t going to make changes for the better then why do we have them in place at all? You can have everything planned out and still not follow through..

  21. Pal P says:

    In my opinion honesty is a big factor in voting this election. I believe that candidates need to be honest in what they say and not just lie so they get the votes of the people. If the candidates are honest from the start then they will not get criticized as much as they are when they get into office. Also, honesty is a trait that the leader of our nation should possess.

  22. AK Mynatt says:

    Truthfully, all of these characteristics are important, but effectiveness is the most important. Sometimes you have to play dirty in order to accomplish an objective. The other three attributes have significance but not as much as effectiveness when thinking of a president.

  23. Stephanie Dauber says:

    I think civility is most important when it comes to elections. When you look at Trump all you see are the wretched things he has said, towards women, Hillary, immigrants, the middle East, I’m not sure how much BS he can pull. Many foreign affairs require a delicate touch and to be hot-headed does not yield many results. I think the ideas and input of other members of Congress and the Cabinet may push candidates with no previous political experience to make innovations on their own. Civility and composure can say a lot about other aspects of their character that are just as important. Basically, the president shouldn’t be racist, xenophobic, sexist, or just an all around ass.

  24. Darby Meadows says:

    I voted for effective. I think in the end, it is important to have a leader that will get something done. I do think all of the options are important, but effectiveness is what politics need right now.

  25. Kayla Patel says:

    I voted for effectiveness, because in the end what good is a president if they cannot accomplish anything during their term. If we need change and the president comes up with all of these ideas but can’t carry them out, then what use are the ideas?

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