Clinton finds strong support among early voters in Atlanta

By Gabriel Ramos, Kristen Bryan, Meagan Cutler, and Dylan Maynard

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton
addresses constituents at Atlanta City Hall Friday.
Gabriel Ramos, Feb. 26, 2016

ATLANTA – Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke to a crowd of supporters Friday in an effort to encourage more votes both on that day, which served as the last day for early primary voting, and on the upcoming Super Tuesday next week.

The night before the event, the venue was changed from Georgia State University to the much smaller and less accessible Atlanta City Hall for security reasons, according to the Clinton Campaign. About 400 supporters filled up the old city council chamber to hear her speak. Among these supporters was Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.

“I’ve been thinking about Secretary Clinton,” Reed said while introducing the former secretary of state. “I think about how a woman who went to Yale Law School did incredibly well. She didn’t go to Wall Street. You know where she went? She went to South Carolina, and then she went to Alabama, and then she went to Arkansas. Her life has been helping other people so I don’t know how anybody has gotten it confused!”

Clinton thanked Reed for the support he showed her throughout her campaign, and thanked the city council as well. She also emphasized the importance of the last day of early voting.

“It’s a treat to be here in Atlanta,” Clinton said, “to have this opportunity to thank you (all who are) working hard for my campaign to encourage everybody to go early vote today, the last day of early voting, and to ask each and every one of you to do what you can to make sure everybody else votes on Tuesday, Super Tuesday. The primary here in Georgia will be so consequential.”

Along with early voting, Clinton emphasized her stances on Obamacare, immigration, gun control, and other issues within her platform. The supporters who were fortunate enough to attend the smaller venue included supporters both young and old from all over the Southeast United States who already submitted early votes. Among them was Hannah Clapp, an Auburn University senior who submitted her vote through the absentee ballot of Niceville, FL.

“I was very interested in meeting Hillary Clinton since she’s such a big role model of mine,” she said.

Clapp, 21, who drove from Auburn, Alabama, said she’d given looks to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as other candidates, but primarily out of due diligence in researching all possible nominees. Ultimately, her vote went to Clinton because she felt that Clinton was a good moderate and a good role model for women.

Another voter who had traveled from out of state was Emery Wach of South Carolina. She had voted at home the day before the event in order to ensure she could attend the event, and had similar sentiments to Clapp.

“I mean, I really think that Bernie is more of a romantic candidate,” Wach, 25, said, “but I don’t think he has anywhere near the qualifications she does, and I also don’t think he is a bipartisan candidate like she is. I don’t think that he would do anything to bring the two parties together. I think he’d really polarize them, that’s where we need Hillary.”

Clinton also had major support from local voters. Georgia voter Evan Cleaver went to the ballot the previous Sunday, but still decided that it was important to show support for his candidate by attending her event.

“I wanted to show my support for her candidacy and also hear what she has to say,” he said. “Even though my vote has been cast, I feel there is a lot more that I can learn about her as a candidate… I still want to ensure that I feel the message is positive because there is another election, and also to be 100 percent candid with you, there is a notion that all the young people are backing other candidates, and myself being fairly young-ish, I wanted to get out and show that there are young people who support Hillary Clinton as well.”

Cleaver, 34, said that he agrees with Clinton on how the country should move forward in terms of gun control policies, healthcare, and mass incarceration among other stances. He also said he likes to believe that he gave everybody a chance, including Republicans, but that Sanders and Clinton were the only two he seriously looked at.

He also summed up the thought process behind getting to the ballots early.

“I don’t like long lines,” Cleaver said. “I wanted to make sure my voice was heard but the last time I voted on an election day, to be honest, it got hectic.”

Sanders arrives at Morehouse College, rallies diverse audience of thousands

By THOMAS HARTWELL, JONATHAN ORRILLO, JUSTIN NADYBAL, ADAM MAELAND

Bernie Sanders speaks to nearly 5,000 at Morehouse College, Tuesday. Photo by Thomas Hartwell

ATLANTA – Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders paid a visit to Morehouse College, Tuesday, drawing a millennial-dominated crowd of nearly 5,000.

Sanders has run a campaign on a foundation of racial, ethnic and socio-economic equality in the 2016 presidential race. His speeches often revolve around the control of wealth in America and the discrepancy in the ownership of that wealth. The rhetoric at the Morehouse rally did not stray from that, and Sanders received energetic support from the audience.

 “We need an economy for all of us,” said Sanders. “Not just the 1 percent.”

Sanders also spoke to his growth in popularity and polls over the course of the 2016 presidential campaign. He cited several states where he either won or is winning according to polls and what those numbers looked like at the beginning of the campaign season, namely in Iowa and New Hampshire.

“We started in Georgia way way way down,” said Sanders. “And you know what? I think we’re going to win right here.”

Several surrogates also spoke on Sanders’ behalf, including rapper and Morehouse alumnus, Killer Mike, who gave an impassioned speech on Sanders’ stance on racial equality. After speaking, Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, spoke candidly about the difference in Clinton and Sanders’ equality policies.

Rapper "Killer Mike" speaks on behalf of Bernie Sanders in preparation for Sanders' speech. Photo by Thomas Hartwell

“Bernie Sanders’ policy advances everyone now. Hillary Clinton’s policy is, ‘Hold up and wait,’” said Render. “Bernie Sanders takes donations of $30 from working-class folks. Hillary Clinton takes millions of dollars from special interests. Bernie Sanders is interested in restoring regulations that will help us all, Hillary Clinton is interested in co-oping and doing more corporate things that are harmful for the worker class.”

Millennial rally attendees energized the atmosphere and said they felt as if Sanders’ policies recognized and valued the needs of young or less fortunate subcultures of voters, such as college students and ethnic minorities, and focused on a government “for the people.”

“Bernie is the only candidate that’s really supported primarily by the people,” said Morehouse College sophomore, Alexander Meyer. “He’s the candidate that has the most integrity, he’s the most progressive candidate, the candidate that actually wants forward change in our country without either keeping a status quo or launching us backwards into regression, and that’s why I support Bernie Sanders.”

Sanders has steadily gained popularity over the course of the 2016 presidential campaign, surprising many, both with his closing poll gaps on Hillary Clinton and, as especially noted in Iowa, with his ability to mobilize and excite a young voter audience.

“I think it’s important for young people to get involved, because this is going to be their future,” said 16-year-old Sanders supporter, Caragan Thiel.

Caragan Thiel and her mother, Tonya Thiel, brandish their Bernie buttons in wait for the beginning of the Atlanta rally. Photo by Thomas Hartwell

Even though she and others her age will not be able to vote in the 2016 election, Thiel said they should still be paying close attention.

 “Legislative policy that’s passed right now and foreign policy and things that go on in this country that happen now are going to affect us later,” said Thiel.

While Sanders is considered by many the owner of the millennial vote, he rallied the support of voters young and old under Morehouse’s Forbes Arena lights – some voters older than others. 93-year-old Charlene Coburn dismissed the idea that Sanders and older voters don’t see eye to eye.

“I’m for the good of the people – whoever can do and change some of the things we need corrected now,” said Coburn. “Experience is another factor. Sanders has been in the federal avenue, he seems to be a rather level-headed person, and he wants to improve and do better for everyone concerned. We need someone who is sincere, who can walk the walk and talk the talk.”

Sanders’ visit to Morehouse College comes before an important two weeks for presidential hopefuls. He moves to Nevada in coming days ahead of Saturday’s caucuses, according to his campaign’s Facebook schedule, and is expected to campaign heavily in South Carolina soon after.

Among perceived Republicans, minorities take a stand in supporting Trump

By Gabriel Ramos, Meagan Cutler, Kristen Bryan, and Dylan Maynard

Bianca Shelby attends a Donald Trump rally in Atlanta. Shelby is one of many
minorities present who are registered Republicans. Gabriel Ramos, Feb. 21, 2016

ATLANTA – Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at the Georgia World Congress Center drew a crowd largely composed of what most people think of conservative Republicans: white, male, Christian, and older. However, scattered among these were a fair amount of minorities, a surprise given the Republican presidential candidate’s previous comments regarding women, Muslims, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The minority attendees were diverse, with Asians, African Americans, and Hispanics represented. With them came a variety of viewpoints on what mattered most and how Trump would or wouldn’t be able to enact them.

Bianca Shelby, a conservative African American and registered Republican, was proud to be counted among the minorities present, even if she isn’t immediately placing her vote in the Trump ballot box, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), or Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) possibly taking it.

“Today I’m at the Trump rally… and then on Saturday I will be going to the rally for Cruz. So, (I’m) just really vetting the candidates,” she said. “I like a lot of the things that Trump says because I am a business owner so I believe in the financial pieces. I may not agree with some of his stances on the other things he talks about but right now I’m just vetting.”

Her husband, Mitchell, said he’s more confident in his vote. A frequent guest host on News and Talk 1380 WAOK – CBS Radio’s “Real Talk with Rashad Richey,” he’s referred to by the show’s host as ‘Conservative Republican Mitchell Shelby,’ a title he wears with a badge of honor as he debates with Richey and others on the issues.

A self-professed conservative since the age of 11, Mitchell, 49, said he’s in support of Trump and Cruz and believes they can win, unlike the rest of the remaining Republican field. He asserted that being black and Democrat aren’t synonymous, and that it isn’t worthwhile to be both, especially as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) attempt to pull more minority support.

“Say what it is, they’re playing to African Americans,” he said. “Not just minorities, especially with me. And guess what? Democrats have done that for the past 65 years. Told African Americans what they’re gonna get, and guess what they end up getting? Absolutely nothing in return, so I’m not believing one thing that they’re saying.”

Sohum Mehta, whose family originally hails from India, is also a registered Republican. He agreed with Trump’s attitude toward immigration and national defense.

“I think his attitude toward minorities is good,” he says, “and I think that it’s important that people who come to the USA come legally, work hard, and being a minority, it’s very important that we live the American Dream. I think what we also have to learn is that minorities do a lot of the work here, and when they do it legally, and in support of the system, it helps America grow.”

Not all were so strongly built toward Trump. Some attended to gain insight into the candidate’s mindset and the political process.

One such attendee is Lane Williams, who is 25 and African American. Currently unaffiliated with any political party, he said observation is what drove him to come to the rally.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m voting for Trump, but I’m interested in hearing what his policies would be if he were to become the president,” he said. “I’d rather be acquainted with someone than cut them off completely.”

Williams said he doesn’t know enough of Trump’s policies to agree or disagree with them, but is interested in how his business acumen could carry over to the field of politics.

Christine Kim, a Korean American, was in a similar situation, as she said she’s just learning about the process. Her business background is why she felt she’s Republican, and said that Trump’s a great businessman. However, she stated that he’s immature, which keeps him from fully getting her vote.

“It’s just the things that he says in his debates,” she said. “He personally attacks people, and I just don’t think that’s what a presidential candidate should have... I believe in the wall, in building the wall, I believe that we should be a little more strict about immigration, and just making America great again. I just don’t know if the way that he acts will bring us there.”

Trump, for one, didn’t seem so concerned about the ethnicity of his constituents. He spoke of how he won the South Carolina Primary, with no mention of racial demographic.

“We won with everything,” he said. “We won with women, I love the women. We won with men. I’d rather win with women, to be honest with you. We won with evangelicals. We won with the military, and do we love our vets… We won with everything.”

Republican Rhetoric

(Left) Trump at a rally in Macon, Ga. (Right) Cruz at a rally in Kennesaw, Ga.  Photos:  Branden Camp

I was recently at a Republican candidate Ted Cruz campaign stop.  As he began to warm up, he started getting into his policy and future plans as the POTUS.  What I found was interesting was his wording he used when talking about immigration.  He referenced “the wall” every time he talked about immigration issues.  Now, anyone watching or reading anything about the presidential race knows where this narrative came from.  I hate to talk about it, but Trump started the narrative and no one can stop talking about it.  Local news and national news write about immigration on a daily basis.

Trump of course proudly boasts that the nation wouldn’t be talking about it unless he brought it up. Sen. Cruz was smart to carry the narrative into his campaign.  In the South, immigration is a part of the daily narrative at work, home and when hanging out with friends. 

Politico Article:  "If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even be talking about illegal immigration, Chris,” Trump said.

A supporter holds a sign before a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, at the Macon Centreplex in Macon, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)

Huffington post reported in July of last year that they would stop Trump coverage because he is a “side show”.  I find it interesting that they just didn’t stop writing news on him.  I think it’s simple.  They, like every other network and publication, benefit from the Trump name.

The New Republic says Trump is influencing Republican rhetoric and even policy as well.  Before Scott Walker dropped out of the race, he even said his immigration stance where the same as Trumps.

In the end, voters, journalists and the media can’t stop talking about Trump and his views.

3 Sides to Every Story

As the election progresses, the candidates are beginning to thin out, with some dropping out of the race, while others continue to campaign despite the fact that they are fading into the background. As many candidates begin to fade away, those whom are at the top of the polls are becoming more visible and more frequently discussed, as the media begins shifting its attention to keep up with the race. An interesting phenomenon occurs during this process of the contenders’ rise to the top; week by week, a story seems to be unfolding. With each debate, appearance, interview, and tweet, the candidates are weaving a narrative of their personal lives, their professional lives, and what America will be when they take office; or in storybook terms- a past, a present, and a future. Also like a story, there is a prevailing message which the author wishes to get across to the audience. For example, Trump’s unmistakably loud and clear message is that he is the best there is, and he does and gets what he wants, which in this case, is to make America great again using his unmatched overall awesomeness.

Interestingly enough, this message of awesomeness is not typically what is relayed by the media. In fact, the story that is told by the media about the Trump has quite a different angle than does the story Trump is telling about himself. Ultimately the facts are roughly the same; just the delivery and the tone are quite different. This is because, much to Donald’s dismay, the “losers” in the media are weaving their own narrative about Trump, as they do with every candidate. As the race has progressed, the media’s narrative about Trump has evolved from its beginning stages, which were mainly dominated by humor inspired by the utter disbelief that Trump’s candidacy was anything but a prank. As the months had passed, and Trump had still not announced that we are all idiot losers who fell for his genius prank, the media’s message shifted to seriously assessing Trump’s ability to become the president. Today, a situation exists where Trump has offended nearly everyone in the media, as he seems to be testing just how offensive and outlandish he can be; so most of Trump’s coverage has a negative tone, and in a way hints at our lack of competence as a country for even entertaining this non-sense. To demonstrate this point, I give you an article from the Washington Post. The article is called “Losers: A list by Donald Trump,” and it summarizes some of the more notable situations in which Trump has publicly called people losers, typically following a disagreement of sorts. This article was published in August, meaning Trump has had half a year of offending people since then. A more recent article published today in the New York Times, called “The Five Stages of Donald Trump’s Grief Over His Loss in Iowa,” gives a humorous account of Trump’s behavior during the hours following his loss in the Iowa caucuses. What is entertaining about the media’s narrative of Trump is that they don’t really even analyze his words or try to counter him; all they have to do is compile a list of Trump quotes, maybe add a sarcastic remark or two, and a satire piece is born.

The situation with Trump is somewhat unique, though, because of his previously established role as a public figure with some widely known, to put it nicely, quirks. The narrative woven by the media is not always quite so negative. For example, the media’s narrative about Marco Rubio may not be the same as his own, but it is not negative by definition. Marco Rubio’s narrative of himself casts him as a wholesome family man with hard-working immigrant parents, a conservative Republican with a record of advocating what is best for America, and a vision of “A New American Century.” His narrative is more typical of the average presidential candidate. He is young, energetic, and gives a lot of effort. He maintains a fairly positive tone, including heavily stressing the support he has from minorities, regardless of the fact that his policies are not exactly appealing to minorities. Overall, Rubio paints a fairly cheery and hopeful picture.

The media’s narrative about Rubio is slightly different than his own, as he is often portrayed as the underdog who is working to the bone just to keep up. An example of this comes from a New York Times article called “Marco Rubio Campaign Dispatches its Army and New Lines of Attack.” Admittedly, it is a pretty cool title which suggests some toughness in Rubio. It focuses heavily, though, on the struggle that Rubio’s campaign is facing, and there is a definite sense of doubt. This view of Rubio’s campaign, truthfully, is probably the more realistic of the two, as a campaign for the United States Presidency is not all sunshine and rainbows as most candidates like to act. Truly, I feel fairly confident that never will the day come that a presidential candidate runs on total honesty with no spin, just as the media will never stop adding their spin. There will always be three sides to every story- the candidate's, the media's, and the truth. For better or for worse, at least we're entertained. 

Narratives in Presidential Elections: Donald Trump the Winner and Marco Rubio 'The Republican Obama'

The two narratives that I would like to discuss are 1.) Donald Trump as a winner and 2.) Marco Rubio as the ‘Republican Obama’.

Donald Trump has said since he has gotten into the race (that is, up until Monday night) that he is a winner; that he loves to win, that he always wins and that he will win. He said he would win in Iowa. He said that Iowans loved him and that he was going to win. Ultimately he came in second. The media has picked up on this narrative and has clung to it. CNN often goes live to Donald Trump’s rallies to listen to him say what he has to say. The polls have often shown him in front and the media has followed that trend. As recently as October or November pundits were talking about the staying power of the ‘Summer of Trump’. Trump is currently 30% up in New Hampshire, so it will be important to see how that narrative plays out, and if he can win New Hampshire, South Carolina, or other primary states.

Of course Marco Rubio has his 3-2-1 plan. Third in Iowa, second in New Hampshire, first in South Carolina. Under this narrative, Donald Trump, if ever a winner, might not be a winner for very long, with respect to presidential primary politics. Marco Rubio is called the ‘Republican Obama’ (mostly by the media) due to the fact that he is a young (44) first term senator (and he’s a racial minority). Rubio’s third place finish in Iowa is said to have been a beating of expectations. It has been celebrated in the days since as an unmitigated victory for the senator. If Rubio can follow through with his 3-2-1 plan, if he can win South Carolina going into the SEC Primary (traditionally called Super Tuesday) and carry momentum, he could create a situation in the Republican Party where two candidates duke it out.

Unlike President Obama, however, Rubio is considered an establishment candidate and would not have a Hillary Clinton (an ‘inevitable candidate’) to run against.

Narratives: Donald Trump & Ben Carson

Narratives play a vital role in a candidate's campaign.  It's a like a car salesman practicing a sales pitch to draw customers in to purchasing a brand new car.  Each candidate has a narrative that they want to pitch to get the attention of an audience.  The people need to what you are about and how you have become to be the person you are today.

Of course, depending on your narrative, it can bring out the best and sometimes the worst in people you are trying to reach.  I think this is best seen with presidential candidates Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson.  Donald Trump is known to be pretty outspoken and arrogant because of his success in real-estate but also in the front end of his presidential campaign.  As a result of his arrogance, he think that he can just say anything that comes to mind without any consequence and make a fool of himself as we have seen time and time again.  There's no substance behind his words on a variety of issues and his delivery is harsh and aggressive.   With his arrogance comes a lot of bashing and insulting other candidates.  During a GOP debate, Trump and Jeb Bush were going back and forth and Jeb said to Donald Trump, "you can't insult your way to the White House."
His slogan is that he can bring America back to the top.  "Make America Great Again", is what Donald Trump message is to the American people.  How can America be great when the candidate is encouraging violence against protestors at his rallies or trying to ban all Muslims from entering the country that is historically made up of immigrants of different religions from all over the world?  His words and actions don't match his narrative. 

On the flip side, you have a quiet, intelligent and humble candidate in Dr. Ben Carson.  Carson grew up poor and his childhood was tough.  His mother only received a third grade education.  Through hard work and dedication he became a world renowned neurosurgeon and that has become his narrative.  Pull yourself up by the bootstraps.  Let's heal and revive America.  Although Ben Carson's message is certainly more inspiring than Trump's, we lose sight of what he has to say and his vision for America because he's not surrounded by controversy and he does not portray himself to being a arrogant bully just to win the hearts and minds of the American people. 

The Outsider Appeal of Sanders and Cruz

Driving home a narrative about who or what caused the problems now facing America and how to fix them are central to any political campaign. The campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders is no different. According to Sanders, America faces rising inequality and restricted upward economic mobility. These problems, Sanders believes, are caused by a number of groups of people. The first, Wall Street bankers, recklessly pursued their own greedy ends at the expense of the economy. Big business, greedy as well, keep wages and employee benefits down to maximize corporate profit. Both, according to Sanders, buy and sell politicians through mechanisms such as super PACs.These politicians, part of the political establishment, have been complicit in dismantling the economic security of the middle class and of the poor who dream of one day making it into the middle class. In addition, any media outlets that do not see the goodness of Sanders’s plan are criticized for perpetuating the problems facing America.

For Sanders, a political revolution must take place in order to truly fix the issues plaguing the U.S. Ordinary Americans must flock to Sanders and his plans for free college, universal health care, and a $15 minimum wage. If Sanders is to be believed, these, combined with higher taxes for the wealthy and less defense spending, are the cure to America’s ills.

For Senator Ted Cruz, the enemy is big government, primarily the big government under the Obama administration. He also paints Republicans in Congress who may be willing to compromise on their beliefs to achieve policy goals as false conservatives. According to the narrative driven by the Cruz campaign, he is the only true conservative fit to lead Republicans longing for ideological purity against the restraints big government has placed on their personal liberty.

Both of these narratives fit the general “outsider” narrative being talked about by the media. This idea states that the 2016 Presidential election is being dominated by politicians and non-politicians alike who are shunned by their party establishment. Both Cruz and Sanders fit this narrative, but any additional media attention caused by it will most likely be for naught, as neither is likely to occupy the White House in 2017.

Trump & Cruz

                Recently, Donald Trump has taken to making Ted Cruz the antagonist of his narrative. Even prior to Cruz’ win in Iowa, Trump has been working to shift the narrative to say that Cruz is not a legitimate candidate in the presidential race. First, Trump brought up the information regarding Cruz’ foreign-born American status, believing that he should not be able to run. Now, after the results of the Iowa caucus, Trump has moved to portraying Cruz as a liar. In the past 10 hours, Trump tweeted 10 times calling Cruz a liar due to rumors that Cruz’ campaign sent out false info claiming that Ben Carson has dropped out of the race. We can expect Trump to continue to single out Cruz as the race goes on.

                Trump has also worked on establishing his own narrative for the election season. He has been attempting to get the media to portray Trump as the anti-politician candidate. He constructs his lack of tact and respectfulness as a positive trait, claiming that the time for political correctness is over. As one of the only candidates that has not already held office, Trump is working to build up the idea that he will bring in a fresh perspective to the political system. Already known as the most brash candidate, Trump can use his narrative and public opinion to say more radical things on the campaign trail as it Is already expected of him. 

Campaign Narratives From Within 16'

Why is it that narratives seem to be present in our everyday lives, no matter the age?  Even as children we get used to the themes involved in most common fairy tales.  The most common of themes can be identified simply as "good" always triumphing over "evil".  We see this currently with sports, business, and is even present in the democratic process.  Maybe more so than anywhere else, the idea of good vs. evil seems to be applied in the electoral process more and more.  Where it is common to see this when others are speaking about those from "across the aisle", but we even see it within partisan groups.  This is seen currently as the nominations of the major parties are coming soon, as candidates are still jockeying for their own position in the race.  In the Republican party, this scenario can be seen when looking at the communication strategies employed by Rubio and Trump.  Many have deemed Rubio to be the most "middle of the road" candidate in regards to where he is aligned on the political spectrum.  Trump, very loud and potentially offensive, acts with no filter and continues to use his demonstrative personality to his favour.  Rubio is good and Trump is evil, or can this be seen as merely subjective?  The same scenario is seen through the race for the democratic nominee, between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.  Clinton, the professional politician, has been deemed as untrustworthy after her time as Secretary of State.  Sanders, who many say possess socialistic tendencies, is the more open and "real" seeming of the two.  Sanders seems keen on attacking Hillary's credibility and this has helped brand her as the "evil" choice in the eyes of many.  He too has used his posture and stature to his benefit, aiming to insight trust (which is the exact opposite image he's portraying through his depiction of Clinton).  The reason this type of narrative will remain present for years to come is undoubtedly due to the fact that it is up to us to determine who is good and who is evil.  That decision is merely chosen by simply who we support and what values we value most.

Hillary and Bernie

Hillary Clinton a longer political narrative than almost any candidate. She has been a prominent political figure and a champion for women’s rights for decades. Most Hillary supporters will vote for her because she is the most experienced candidate. On her website she describes her upbringing to relate to the middle class voter. She explains that her mother was abandoned by her family and her father was a “pay-as-you-go kind of guy who worked hard, and wasted nothing”. The narratives of her parents are almost more important than her own. Her own career has been one with lots of luck and a little bit of privilege. Growing up middle class she had a lot more opportunities then her parents had and she worked hard to take advantage of many of these opportunities. Going into college she started her political career but her real big break was when her husband became president. This paved the way to her becoming the senator of New York, Secretary of State and eventually a democratic candidate for the presidency.

Bernie Sanders was also born to a middle class family. In his biography, he speaks little about his upbringing, and more about his political experience. He describes losing in many elections but shows a sense of pride in the percentage of votes he achieved with every election. Many of his rivals were rich incumbents who were the epitomy of establishment politics. He really started from the bottom And has fought against establishment politics ever since. Meanwhile Hillary Clinton owes much if not most of her political reputation to her husband’s success. Hillary Clinton has had many opportunities to speak and inspire women and minorities across the nation, Bernie Sanders has been behind the scenes passing legislation in their favor. Both candidates have experience that the average voter finds impressive, but they present the experience in very different ways.

  

Hillary Clinton would describe her achievements as a speech she gave or her mere election in to the senate. She lets it be known that she was the head of many charity organizations but never describes her journey to the top. She never touches on legislation that she has helped to craft, nor describes the hardships she faced to become a senator in the first place. This part of her narrative probably would not resonate with the average American because she did have it easier thanks to Bill’s success. On the other hand, Sanders does describe specific legislation and amendments he passed during his time in office. Sanders’ voting record is consistent and cohesive, so he presents his voting record as his narrative. Sander’s integrity is the theme of his political narrative. Hillary Clinton has not consistently kept the same opinions and views throughout political career, however, so she provides her experience as her narrative.

 

Who are these candidates called Sanders and Rubio, and why does the media want you to care?

Narrative is a big thing when it comes to politics. Without a story of who you are, it's hard to tell people what you're driven about and why.

Take for instance Bernie Sanders. The former mayor of Burlington, Vermont's popularity with young people has built up his status as a contender on the Democrat platform, standing toe-to-toe with Hillary Clinton during the Iowa caucus. So strong is his popularity that he managed to lose to Clinton by a mere four votes, a difference so slight that Sanders refuses to cede victory.

What's caused such an uptick in Sander's standing is what he brings to the table. As a life-long civil rights activist, he's made it his point to address all issues as such. Outside of civil rights themselves, Sanders has spoken of banking, college tuition, and war as things that affect the everyday person. When he engages with his only real opponent in the Democrat party, he points out where she falls short or where he disagrees with her with passion and fire but without resorting to mudslinging and insults. Thus, the picture he paints is one of determination and firmness, and a willingness to take on the establishment.

The media is quick to note this, speaking of his sway over younger voters as if it were a noose over Clinton's head. Just one wrong move by Clinton and it comes down on her neck.

On the other side of the aisle, there's Marco Rubio. The young Florida senator finished a strong third on Monday, beating out the venerated Ben Carson, and falling short of Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.

Though many were surprised by Trump's fall to Cruz, many were just as surprised as Rubio's rising right behind. Rubio hasn't had the best reputation with general voters thus far, but some credit Trump's actions for his rising. Trump, after all, is known for being volatile and headstrong. Rubio, on the other hand, is far less brash.

Rubio's finish could be compared to Rocky's in the first movie. Rocky, after all, didn't win the fight. What he did win, however, was respect. Nobody expected the Italian Stallion to be able to stand up to the great Apollo Creed; neither did anybody expect Rubio to overtake Carson, much less look like he was about to over take Trump. Some in the media call that a victory for Rubio. At this point, Rubio should take it, and ride it all the way to New Hampshire.

Candidates and Narratives

Having a narrative is important for an election because it keeps candidates in line. Supporters can always follow through and see what the candidates are about.

I believe a candidates narrative is basically their slogan. Their slogan represents what their debates are on, what they believe in , what they follow, and what they want to do in order to make America better. Their slogans(narratives) calls on the dramatic devices and raises issues.  Donald Trumph goes by "Make America Great Again." This narrative is the reason why Trumph makes a fool of himself on national television. He addresses situation in the most aggressive, annoying and disrespectful way. He has crafted his own problems and candidates respond to him. The media coverage surrounds him and make his issues important.

Another narrative that is used for the 2016 election is Ben Carson's is heal, inspire, and revive. he shows more of his care to family and takes a much more humble approach. He uses his childhood and his accomplishments as the story line of his narrative.

Rubio and Bush Narratives and the Media

The Republican establishment have been curious about two particular candidates during the presidential race, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and former governor of Florida Jeb Bush. Both of these candidates are considered GOP establishment candidates. However, Bush has a lot of baggage because of his last name and his brother, George W. Bush's legacy.

Their narratives are similar and they both frame themselves as a better option than Hillary Clinton, who they both have said that she should be indicted for her private email server. Rubio has a section on his website devoted to explaining why Clinton should be disqualified from running for president.

Both candidates have similar constituency because they both have worked in the state of Florida and are Republicans. During a Republican debate, there was a discussion about how Rubio missed a lot of votes in the United States Senate and Bush called him out on this. Bush, more recently called out Rubio for having the same position on amnesty, in regards to illegal immigration, as himself. This is a highly contentious issue in a Republican primary.

Rubio often cites the fact that Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders is a democratic socialist and Clinton is being investigated by the FBI as some of the reasons he will be able to defeat the Democrats during a general election.

The media narrative has been different for these candidates. Bush is often portrayed as someone who is a dull and boring candidate. He could not shake off the legacy of George W. Bush or the mistakes with the Iraq War. He is seen as a typical politician, who was thought to have had a better shot at winning the Republican nomination. However, with the results of the Iowa caucuses, this seems unlikely. Rubio came in third place and this puts him in a very good position. The media portrays him as a new start to the Republican Party. Although, it is less discussed that he would be the first Hispanic president in United States history. Rubio was also seen by the media, very early on, as someone who could beat Jeb Bush because of his youth and go on to win the Republican nomination.

Even though Rubio is just as establishment as Bush, he doesn't have the baggage of having Bush as his last name. Rubio and Bush also competed on super PAC contributions and other corporate donations from the Koch brothers, who spend millions of dollars donating to Republican politicians. At this time, it looks good for Rubio and he has taken advantage of the media narrative in his favor.

"If I am the nominee, we are going to beat Hillary Clinton and it won't be by the flip of a coin," 

"Bernie Sanders is a socialist," Rubio told the audience, who laughed. "I think Bernie Sanders is a good candidate for president of Sweden." 

The GOP Narrative Game

The Republican Party loves a good story about The American Dream- a person rising successfully through the ranks, coming from nothing, to become something extraordinary. It means it’s still possible. It means there is no elusive “man” (or maybe a not-so-elusive 1%?) holding the people down. It means anything is possible, if you work hard enough.

Ben Carson’s story is of young man from Detroit with a “pathological temper” who acted out in nefarious ways, but eventually grew into a Yale educated Neurosurgeon. Without any past political career to vet, the media had only this dramatic personal narrative to refute- and did they ever. For other candidates with political careers, the media would point out voting inconsistencies or times they were less than faithful to their constituents, but for Carson, the media looked to professors and childhood friends from Detroit, questioning if his reminiscence of a violent youth could hold any water (and decided not). The media became the antagonist in Carson’s story, and as he continually lamented on the unfairness of their reporting, he lost sight of the politics (and the people) and let the media control his narrative.

However, it is currently Marco Rubio who holds the narrative prize after the Iowa caucuses. He is being praised as the winner for the GOP in the Iowa after coming in third place, and Donald Trump the overwhelming loser (Don’t believe me? “loser.com” automatically redirects to Trump’s Wikipedia page) after coming in second behind Cruz at a 4% margin, and only beating out Rubio at third place by 1%.  The media and Rubio alike are hailing him victorious for beating the expectations game and making it a three person race. His victory speech after landing third place overwhelmingly mentions “them” in dramatic prose- the antagonists, the ones who said it would never happen- "they told us we had no chance…they told me we had no chance because my hair wasn’t grey enough and my boots were too high. They told me I had to wait my turn.”

Narrative Campaigns

A narrative strategy in campaigns is one that has been around for a long time. A narrative tells a story with a clear message normally portraying one candidate as the good guy (protagonist), and the other candidate as the bad guy (antagonist). The way a candidate portrays his or her narrative to prospective voters really has a strong pull on who votes for them and who the media outlets choose to cover the most.

            One main candidate who is living off of the narrative role in this election would be Donald Trump. Trump has been building his narrative his entire entertainment career. From the famous show The Apprentice, to his everyday life in the media, he has been known for his extreme personality for many years. This extreme personality has carried over into his campaign as well. Trump is very blunt and tends to get straight to the point. He takes his policy ideas and bumps them up to the extreme, preying on the fears that many Americans have. The media has most definitely picked up on Trump’s narrative of the crazy attitude, and the unpredictable ways and they love it. When Trump refused to show up to a debate many of the first questions asked to his opponents were “So what do you think about Trump not being here?” It is really unclear if Trump is seen as the protagonist or the antagonist for the storyline in media. I believe his media coverage and storyline is based solely on the fact that we never know what his next move is, and I think that is going to keep people interested in him.

            Another candidate who has a strong storyline in this election would be Hilary Clinton. So far she has used the protagonist role in her campaign efforts. She focuses on family issues and making America a great place for families again. Clinton almost uses a motherly type storyline in order to show the country how she feels about things. She has posted many promotional videos where she uses real families and real photos from her past in order to show her connection to family ties and her connection to supporting the everyday American. With this storyline in place it is easy to see why the media typically doesn’t harp too much on her campaign or issues. Clinton is working as the protagonist in this story in order to show the world that she can overcome adversities and trials such as the infamous Monica Lewinski issue and even her email issue which she addressed as her mistake. Overall her story is one that is still evolving and I think voters as well as the media will buy into her protagonist motherly role and will continue to support her throughout the campaign.