Photo via National Geographic
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In 1960, the presidential campaign process was forever changed as Americans tuned into the first-ever televised presidential debate. “The Great Debates” between Kennedy and Nixon redefined what it meant to run for office as they became more than just an enigmatic radio voice to the 70 million viewers watching them from home. The result? Young, charming, conventionally attractive Kennedy rose from the political abyss to beat seasoned yet uncharismatic Nixon, who put off many with his sickly, sweaty appearance. While evidence does not support that televising the debate was the sole factor in Kennedy’s victory, it undeniably altered the campaign culture in the United States, cementing into modern American folklore how Kennedy won an election by looks alone. Kennedy even claimed in retrospect that “it was the TV more than anything else that turned the tide.”
In the subsequent decades, a candidate’s image has become increasingly integral to their campaign, and not just figuratively. As Howard Dean saw in 2004, the slightest unfortunate moment (or yell) could be digitally immortalized, becoming your legacy. In the 2016 presidential election, everything from the designer to the color of Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits was scrutinized. Donald Trump’s unnaturally orange hair and tan became his trademark as much as his policies and, despite rubbing shoulders with politicians both in and out of politics, helped convince us that he was not one of “them.” Of course, politicians have, in turn, adjusted to the media’s careful eye and curated what they hope will be a winning public image.
So why does this election feel different? The top candidates from each party, incumbent Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump, are favored to win the primaries without any real competition on either side. However, unlike Kennedy, it seems that the best thing either of them can do is stay off TV. Trump is swimming in felony charges from his last term in office, which ended in him front-lining the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was stolen from him. His campaign trail has been plagued by extremist rants that leave even his supporters in the audience lost.
However, some still think he might be a better candidate than Biden, who is raising concerns of his own. Supported by a recent mishandling of classified documents, many are wondering if Biden is mentally fit enough to carry out another four-year term. No stranger to media gaffs, attention is on Biden now more than ever after claims he even had difficulty remembering the period his son died.
Still, no one seems able to replace either candidate, raising the same question that was at the core of the Kennedy and Nixon election: if not qualification, what are voters actually looking for?
The answer could lie in the public’s fatigue of candidates trying to secure a Kennedy-esque win. The effort that goes into a politician’s image is no secret, and is even often satirized in the media, like in HBO’s VEEP. In our digital age, increasing rates of media literacy, especially among younger generations, is outpacing current PR tactics. Most voters can decipher the intent behind politicians’ statements, clothing, and public appearances and do not appreciate the attempted manipulation of those whom they are supposed to be trusting. Just as celebrities are being criticized for insincere, staged apologies and hired paparazzi, the overall decline in trust in the authenticity of public figures has reached politicians as well. From harassment to fraud to infidelity, scandal after scandal has taught us that a stellar image is not to be believed.
The 2024 election signals a cultural resignation in the search for the perfect candidate to represent our country and lead us into the future, replacing it with who will protect our interests on a few major issues, namely the economy, abortion, crime, and gun control.
Furthermore, with what seems to be the most significant flaws of each candidate out in the open, there is relative security that voters at least know what they are signing up for. Still, the current cynicism both with candidates and our democracy, as with the lack of qualified candidates stepping up to the plate, this new focus has the potential to become our norm.
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This article was edited by Sofia Benzi and Bryanna Gouldbourne.
