So far this semester we have focused closely on how important the image of a President or politician is. The media these days really makes it a priority to disclose any positive or negative material on a leaders past and present personal life. It seems more so that we are drawn to the more gossip type information that is released. Marriage and relationships have been in the spotlight recently, and something we have discussed in our media profiles from past Presidents; their relationship with their wives and families. According to divorced statistics, the number of people who divorced quadrupled between the 1970’s and 1990's, and assuming the trend, divorce rates ore than likely have risen since then. According to a Newsweek article, there are people known as “values voters” following that up with the fact that Mitt Romney is the only presidential candidate that is still married “happily”. The former Massachusetts Republican Governor, Bill Weld is quoted by saying that Romney's family is “all kinds of clean”. (A word we have heard before using to describe a candidate’s image – what do you think about that?) The overall question I’m posing is, does divorce or a broken up family affect a politicians image in a damaging way during his campaign? Do your own values about families and divorce affect your perception and possibly your decision about a candidate? Do you think a person’s religion will tie into the aspect of “value’s voters” / How much? And lastly, image aside, do you think a person who has gone through a divorce or numerous divorces and marriages effects their actual job as a politician? Do you think that it is better to have a well rounded, somewhat perfect looking family as a candidate….or do you think that every family or relationship has issues that, without press attention it would go unnoticed, but assumed? Do you think the press exploits a politician personal life and relationships too much, turning the focus away from their actual issues and campaign?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17662271/site/newsweek/
- Lauren Trent.
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Some Conservatives are starting to stink to high Heaven particularly those who consider themselves "True" Conservatives yet would still vote for someone who is for gay unions at the very least and has come out recently and said that he would USE PUBLIC TAX MONEY to pay for abortions (CNN 4/2/07). It's funny also that the media focused on Romney's MINOR blurb about hunting and not paying attention to what Rudy said. Who do you think that the MSM is more scared of? To have every news outlet that the Liberal MSM has ever created to make a stink about hunting (NOT 2ND AMMENDMENT RIGHTS WHICH ROMNEY IS FIRMLY FOR) as opposed to something even more important about abortions and making it a public (you and me) responsibility? More on this in a minute.
You "Conservatives" need to wake up. I don't care if Rudy is "at least" being up front about his positions. They are the wrong positions. If he isn't going to change his views and side on Conservative priciples AT THE LEAST then he's not worth it.
Now people are starting to harp on an actor who was once a Senator for a short time. Just because he saved the day on TV, it's still TV and not the real world. Do you think that Hollywood would be any different in dealing with Fred Thompson as Mitt Romney in Massachusetts? Hollywood has made their pick and conservatives are ready to jump ship on a guy who's proven himself and moved in the Conservative direction for a "non-executive" actor? You people are beginning to make me sick from your smell.
The last part about some of you "conservatives" is that if you don't like Mitt Romney it's not really about him, it's about his religion and you know it. If it weren't then you wouldn't have to keep explaining that you "don't have a problem with mormonism."
Now back to the MSM and what they know about "conservatives" right now when it comes to Mitt Romney. They know that you - ALL OF YOU - Conservatives are having problems. Your off-balance and there are so many variables to it. They know that you have a religion problem, an issues problem on getting on the same page, a whose electable problem, and a morals and values problem. They are playing you like fiddles and you're eating it up. They're putting stories out there knowing that you'll eat your own at their hands.
Mitt Romney says something about being a life long hunter and Mike "Hack"abee goes out on NATIONAL TV (CBS LIBERAL MSM CENTRAL) and has a problem with Romney talking about hunting yet says that Rudy's at least "honest" about his abortion stance and public funding of them. I don't care what "Hack"abee said about opposing that stance. He still feels that Rudy's a better person to be the Republican party nominee than someone whose made the change in my (a True Conservatives) position.
I'm tired of the bigot riddled Liberal MSM comments about religion when it comes to Romney and I'm even more tired of bigoted "True" Conservatives eating their "BS" up and regurgitating it back to us giving them credibility and eating away at people who's backgrounds both personal and professional truly serves our needs as Americans.
I'm tired of it and any conservative who is a true conservative truly believes in AMERICA and the traditional values that this country was built on should go out and fight against this.
Unfortunately in todays society people don't blink twice when they hear the word "divorce." Personally, I don't think whether or not a candidate is divorced or divorcing should affect voter opinions or their campaign. Divorce is an overwhelmingly common thing, sometimes things don't work out and sometimes it improves lives for the better. There's no way around it, divorce is a common and growing phenomena in American culture, and politicians are average people and entitled to it as well--therefore it shouldn't be a serious factor in whether or not you vote for a candidate.
On the other hand, I think if the candidate was to have gone through several divorces, it should speak for their sense of values, stability and psyche. One divorce is understandable, people that go through 4 or 5, is absurd. I'd rather have an up front candidate that wasn't pawning their children and picture perfect wife (or husband) to the media and then endure scandal and mental anguish because they're portraying something their not.
Unfortunately, being a politician is like being a celebrity and there is no such thing as a private life, so perhaps it is better to come up with the fairytale family and portray it to the public instead of being honest and forthright. If America wants strong morals, white picket fences and perfect marriages, that's what the politicians are going to give us.
I don't think that whether a candidate has had a divorce or not should be an issue that voters are concerned with. Divorces are so common today that it shouldn't surprise people if a candidate has had one. The status of one's family should not have an affect on the way voters view him or her because that has nothing to do with what the candidate's issues and plans are for the presidency.
I do think the press exploits politicians personal lives too much because marriage status shouldn't even be an issue. But the media has to report on everything and anything possible about that person so they're obviously not going to leave information like that out.
I personally wish that people took marriage more seriously and tried to make a marriage last, but don't think that two people should stay together if they absolutely can't work out the problems. I don't think that Hilary and Bill are an example of a perfect family and believe that they're still together just for the image. Either way, I won't base my decision on whether the candidate is divorced or not.
Marriage and Divorce have become apart of the fabric of our society today. Today, I feel that marriage is not valued the way it was in the 50s and 60s. Back then people stuck their marriages through and worked through their issues and differences.
I think that Mitt Romney's marital status could hurt him if voters are looking at candidates "Image". In today's society "Image" is everything.
In regards to your question about my values and morals on divorce, I do believe in getting married once and making sure that you have really gotten to know the man you are going to marry. I think divorce is okay in certain cases such as abuse towards children and domestic violenece. If you just get married to get married and do not take in consideration how divorce is going to affect your children and the other spouse if they do not want the divorce then I have a problem with it. My question to those considering divorce is have you tried everything to make it work out or gotten counseling?
As far as the press goes, they dig up the dirt and their job is to make sure we are well informed about potential candidates. Do they go to far, I think they do.
I think that whether we like it or not, people do take the issue of divorce and a perfect family into condideration when they vote. Many people feel that if a person can't keep their family together how will they run a country. I personally feel that divorce and the family image shouldn't matter. A person can do a great job running our counrty and not be happily married or divorced. People are very concerned with image and family issues.
I do feel that if a politician does have a positive affect on their campaign. It will be beneficial to them. I also feel that the press does exploit candidates and try an get as much "dirt" on them as possible. I get very tired hearing about things that are trivial and it turns me off to politics. The press should let the candidates speak for themselves and address their issues and problems when they are ready to.
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