Essay 19

One way that media contributes to candidate centered campaigns is by focusing on the race between candidates and less on the issues. This leads to more of a person v. person election and less of an issues v. issues election. Another way the media contributes to candidate centered campaigns is by covering the personality of the candidates more than the issues that they favor. One way a presidential candidate uses the media which has contributed to candidate centered campaigns is by making public appearances that have nothing to do with issues and all to do with candidate personality. Another way that a presidential candidate uses the media which has contributed to candidate centered campaigns is by creating ads that paint themselves as saints and opponents as idiots. These ads often leave out significant facts about issues and focus on personal attack. 

(1999_1)In the 1990’s presidential election campaigns have become more candidate centered and less focused on issues and party labels. The change has been attributed both to how the media cover presidential campaigns and to how candidates use the media. Identify and explain two ways in which the media have contributed to candidate-centered presidential campaigns. Identify and explain two ways in which presidential candidates’ use of the media has contributed to candidate-centered campaigns.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/sg_gov_pol_us_99.up_7047.pdf