I’m young, I admit. I may have been wheeled to the polls by my mom when I was a young one and learned how to pull a lever (A LEVER!) to cast a vote, or brought on the 1992 Democratic National Convention floor. I may have met Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush (4 of 5 living Presidents ), but the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to run for the White House wasn’t on my mind at that age.
From what I remember in the 2012 election there didn’t seem to be the entertainment value there is now during the primary season. The 2008 election was highlighted by Palin vs. Fay but those were days when the national election crept up on us and very few paid mind to the primary season until the last delegates were decided for the front runners.
2 and half years into this radio journey and my first Presidential election cycle in talk radio, it entertains me to see these candidates in the 2016 race lose the “buttoned-down” suit-and-tie approach and just be creative and funny in their attacks! The Donald himself has provided enough entertainment but sometimes the typical candidate would NOT fight back, they’d just smile and onto the next campaign rally. Yet today, ground was broken when Ted Cruz said that Donald Trump, if elected, would be the “Twitterer in Chief”.
How cool is it that the candidates that want to represent us, Trump included, Hillary EXCLUDED, are being candid with us? It’s really not just a campaign rally, debate or town hall any more, it’s the soundbites that occur before, during, and after each rally (or Twitter rant) that has elevated this election more than the others in our lifetime. From my recollection the mudslinging used to be primarily in campaign ads, because in person the humor wasn’t evident to me, it just seemed to be policy and political correct thoughts this, policy and political correct thoughts that. Now, we see that the candidates are following the news cycle and have thrown PC out the window!
So from years of talking points during these races to more than just talking points and real candid thoughts being brought to us in 2016, I hope it inspires YOU to perk your ears up day in and day out in the run for the White House.
The Writings of Alex Garrett 