Twitter Tirades, Kasich Kindness and Revolution Rhetoric: The State of the Race 2016

By THOMAS HARTWELL

The 2016 presidential campaign has been underway for months, and various candidates have utilized various communication outlets and tactics to ensure voters that they are the best candidate for office. There are three themes that, over the entirety of the 2016 campaign season, have stuck out to me. These three themes and the candidates behind them have impressed me (whether or not I care to endorse them).

#1 Trump Twitter Tirades

From Donald Trump Twitter

Donald Trump has always made "good" use of his twitter, promoting his "enthralling" personal thoughts and spotlighting his "razor-sharp insight" into politics, but this campaign season, he has outdone himself. There is something to be said for the impact of "Twitter storms." Consumers go on them constantly and are immediately contacted by the organizations they drag through the mud, offering steals and deals to try to make amends and stifle public, negative publicity. Trump has used his Twitter storms and account as both an entertainment outlet and a tool for his campaign. His attacks on other candidates, the media and his bolstering of his own accomplishments have drawn attention and even headlines. As we have discussed in a course which revolves around political communication, a candidate must be able to attract attention and spark discussion on social media, as well as in traditional media. Trump has done just that both with his "shocker statements" in person, recapturing some of that spotlight, but also with Twitter storms taking the wind out of less entertaining candidates' sails.

From Donald Trump Twitter

Potential downfall: In a general election against Hillary, how will Trump's Twitter foot stamping and name calling fair against Hillary's ability to get into the nitty-gritty on the issues?

#2 The Revolution Rhetoric: Bernie Sanders

How many time have we heard Bernie Sanders say the words "political revolution" and "top one percent" in his speeches, at debates, in interviews, and at rallies? While some see Sanders' focus on the issue he is most passionate about -- corporate greed, fixing income inequality, changing a corrupt campaign finance system, etc. -- as a weakness, calling him a one-issue candidate, his supporters see it as more of a brand. Sanders' brand through his rhetoric, whether critics will admit it or not, have propelled him to where he is now. Sanders, a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist was expected to be laughed out of this primary election (much like another presidential candidate this season). Through a radical, revolutionary brand in his rhetoric, and the help of many, many Millennials in voting and spreading the word, Sanders has rocketed to several neck-and-neck state primaries with Hillary Clinton. His rhetorical brand of a government "truly for the people" has connected with many voters' anger with Washington and corporate America's greed (again, does this remind you of another candidate?). It cannot be denied that Bernie's brand is catching wind either -- even Hillary Clinton began borrowing some of his lines recently. Might Hillary be considering Bernie's brand, and might she be considering a Bernie VP to better her own stance in the eyes of Democratic Independents? We'll have to see.

Potential downfall: While his rhetoric is exciting, many see him as a one-issue candidate and his young voter following, while excited about him, doesn't turn out to polls in quite the number his campaign might hope.

#3 Kasich's Kindness

John Kasich has time and time again refused to "go negative" against other presidential candidates. Many feel that it is this choice that has doomed Kasich's campaign to fail from the beginning, but I'm not so sure. Kasich has taken the opposite approach of a Trump or, most recently, a Rubio this campaign season, attempting to show through his actions, not fighting words, that he is the candidate that can "get stuff done." As the race progressed, it became more and more obvious that Kasich wasn't a frontrunner, and, while he survived into the top four, he wasn't destined to be the next president, so why remain gentle, kind, patient Kasich? Kasich, too, is promoting a brand, but not with rhetoric; his is with non-verbal cues, actions, and choices. Kasich maintains a brand, still, of selling his product instead of commenting on why the others' are inferior. There have been inklings, however, that Kasich's brand is strategic. If Kasich does not take opportunities to attack candidates, even if the opportunity is handed to him, he remains a friend and is has been suggested that this may be his ploy for VP. The Ohio governor may be using his political communication skills as a sort of Jedi mind trick on voters, and instead, he may be focusing his energy on the frontrunners' right-hand seat.

Potential downfalls: Kasich continues to pull delegates away from the frontrunners and runs the risk of contributing to a Republican convention in which his VP dreams are slightly more cloudy.

Kasich hosts Kennesaw State University town hall

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

KENNESAW, Ga. – Republican presidential candidate John Kasich visited Kennesaw State, Tuesday, drawing more than 400 onlookers.

Kasich gave a short speech on his campaign platform before opening the floor to questions from the audience. Comments ranged from policy issues to questions of Kasich’s lack of aggression on the campaign trail.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich answers an audience member's question at Tuesday's KSU town hall meeting.

Photo by Thomas Hartwell

“I want to know how you’re going to stick it to Trump [and the others],” said one audience member.

Since stepping on KSU’s campus, Kasich made his message to audience members clear: Everyone has a purpose in life, and it is their job to find and fulfill it. When Kasich entered the Carmichael Student Center, he began by telling students that change starts with them.

Presidential hopeful John Kasich speaks to audience members of all ages at Tuesday's KSU town hall. Photo by Thomas Hartwell

“You are unique, and you are special and you have a purpose,” he said.

Kasich also spoke bluntly about issues like the economy, workforce and student debt, tailoring issues to the millennial-dominated crowd.

“We made a promise to these millennials that, if you go to college, you’ll get a good job, and somehow that promise has been broken,” he said.

While it might be expected that students would be upset by this and statements like it, many responded positively.

“He gave us a dose of reality rather than you know trying to build or hope up,” said University of Georgia student Brett Smith. “It is easy to offer free college, but I think he realizes that’s not feasible.”

The town hall left some students at KSU feeling that the presidential candidate was approachable and willing to talk with them one-on-one, taking questions and pictures with them after the meeting.

 “[It’s great] seeing someone in person and exactly hearing what they have to say, not just seeing them on TV,” said KSU student Alyx Fotiades. “I am a stronger supporter.”

Kasich has been gaining momentum in the republican race because of his experience and demeanor. Supporters view Kasich as a man that is an honest candidate and not an entertainer.

“He sees the glass as half full,” said Kasich supporter Tom Prior. “Almost all the other candidates see the glass as half empty.”

Kasich continued his campaign trail legacy, telling audience members he would continue to run a “friendly” campaign for votes, not entertainment.

John Kasich listens to student questions and comments at Tuesday's KSU town hall. Photo by Thomas Hartwell

“I am not going to go out there and do something to just grab attention,” he said. “Either you walk into a room and frighten people and make promises you can’t deliver on, or you walk into a room and say it’s going to be fine, we have path to fix this. Now that might not be as sexy, but that’s life.

Even with his positive demeanor, Kasich has stirred up controversy on the campaign trail. One day prior to the KSU town hall, Kasich stated that in 1978 he won the statehouse because women “left their kitchens to go vote.” Regardless of his statement, a significant amount of women attended and showed their support at the town hall.

“I think it was 75 or 80 percent of the women at that time did not work,” said Kasich supporter Angie Coleman. “The meeting that he was having they were called coffee house meetings. Instead of town halls they were small meetings where they were literally meeting in kitchens. It was not sexist, and anyone who thinks that about Kasich is silly.”

Kasich plans to continue his town hall meeting visits to Tennessee, Vermont, Massachusetts and Michigan in the coming weeks