This year’s Presidential Election is anything but normal. Last Monday’s Presidential Debate hosted many viewers, and estimated as the most watched in American history. The circumstances contain many novelties. The first woman nominee opposing, as many describe him, an unconventional candidate. The scenario qualified as uncharted territory.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton danced around a few topics throughout the 90 minutes; however, their dialogue often digressed into insults and a game of he said – she said. Obama’s birth certificate, career histories, and cited insults infiltrated the conversation, detracting from the intended topics.
While there was much anticipation leading up to the event, the aftermath ranks far more interesting. Many attempted to dissect the occasion using newsfeeds, Snapchat stories, hashtags, and headlines. The following morning discussion and analysis dominated both the internet and casual conversation. While the spectrum of sources prioritizes different debate highlights, most emphasized the rhetoric of the candidates. The unmistakable issues remain concealed beneath the frenzy of bi-partisan politics. Many discussions, whether online or at the dinner table, exclusively interest the candidates themselves and omit their policies. The debate offers a great avenue for discussing relevant issues, but this depends on the response of the people. How we choose to analyze and dialogue about such events persuades our political culture far more than any one candidate.