Media's Role In Presidential Elections

The media, specifically television, plays an integral role in the elections of public officials. This is most evident in the election of a presidential candidate. Currently, we find ourselves inundated with media conversations about emails, immigration, and Joe Bidden. If one turns on any network news station, they will assuredly be swept away within the wave that is the election process. The election is more than a year away yet; there have been three presidential debates. No, that is incorrect; there have been five presidential debates if one accounts for the conservative A-team and B-team. That stated, why so much coverage so early? Yes, the election of the most senior-level public executive is of great import, however; does that imply the

This changes the general presidential conversation about Trump to one of a sideshow as apposed to one of a contender. Additionally, the media can influence the political conversation by way of whom they omit from the process. Case in point; Larry Lessig. Larry Lessig found himself omitted from the CNN Democratic debate that occurred on October 13th. Furthermore, he finds himself omitted from the MSNBC debate that occurs on November 6th. CNN criteria for the Democratic debate was simple, an interested candidate must achieve an average of one percent in three different national polls to be able to participate in the debate. However, the criteria for the CNN Republican debate differed greatly. For the CNN Republican Debate, potential candidates simply had to be in the top ten in polling. Many candidates participating in the conciliatory debate polled at less than one percent. CNN was ready to break its criteria rule in the off chance that Joe Bidden decided to enter the race, they even went so far as to construct an emergency lectern just in case (3). Yet, they had no room for Professor Lessig on