By Cassandra Sedler
Contributing Writer

As the 2016 presidential election quickly approaches, America seems just as concerned about the race as we were when Donald Trump first announced he was running for the presidency over a year ago.

Of course one cannot blame voters for such feelings of discontent based on the upheaval promoted by the mainstream media on a daily basis.

The media coverage of the last presidential debate held on Oct. 19 proved no different.

Both candidates deliberated on a wide range of important topics, including their plans for economic growth and immigration.

These are issues one could expect to be discussed in the media in the coming weeks before the presidential election.

Nonetheless, morning talk shows and news stations across the country focused on Trump’s singular response to a minute question of whether he would accept the results of this election or not.

Trump did not definitively state an answer, but ultimately said he would wait to see what happens.

Not surprisingly, the media ran with this response, and this one only.

As for the rest of the debate? If you did not actually watch it that night, how would you even know what the candidates discussed with the mediocre coverage we call national news?

It is even more troubling for young voters when all that is seen on social media and news stations alike are posts about a particular instance of the debate, rather than in regards to the performance of the candidates and their arguments as a whole.

One can only hope that American voters see through the plot of the mainstream media and formulate their own opinions of the two candidates not based on clips of the candidates’ speeches scrolled through on social media, but by actually watching the event in its entirety.

In this technological age especially, it is of utmost importance that voters of all ages become informed about each of these candidates, and not let their vote be swayed by supposed popular opinion.

After all, every vote counts, so it is our duty as citizens to be informed about what and who we are voting for in November.

The answer of our country’s future lies within the American voters, not the media.

Email Cassandra at:
csedler@live.esu.edu