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Natalie Hull
Ms. Rogers
English 12
16 October 2015
The 2016 Presidential Race
Presidential elections have been evolving since the founding of the nation; from the
unanimous decision of Washingtons presidency to the rigorous, multiple year campaign
processes that occur today. The evolution; however, hasnt always been advantageous. Though
election day is over four hundred days away, already the identifiers of the 2016 election are
evident through the arduous, inefficient campaign process, the decline of credibility and
productivity in the Republican party, and the role media and comedy are playing in the race for
the Presidency.
In the last century, the election process has been developed into the single most
inefficient election system of all developed countries. The increased length of the campaign
system has raised many evident problems and disadvantages in recent years. Campaigning has
become a full-time endeavor, requiring a candidates full devotion and energy. As many
candidates are public officials or a current president running for re-election, this can prove
problematic and it distracts government workers from their current jobs and places all their focus
on an election that remains over a year away, (Parlapiano). Another extremely damaging result is
the extreme cost of running a campaign. As the amount of time increases, the cost follows,
(Parlapiano). It has become virtually impossible for politicians of with less money or with less
national recognition to sustain credible and highly visible campaigns in comparison to

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candidates with billionaire backers and extensive super PACs, (Yang). The medias extensive and
hyper focused coverage of elections has also become increasingly troublesome. Intense media
coverage of elections begins the day of the first presidential announcement, and only increases
from that day on. Throughout the campaigns, 41% of news stations content is dedicated to the
election, (Yang). The year long focus of media attention on a sole topic dangerously takes away
the needed focus on important issues and events. The development of eighteen month long
campaigns is unnecessary and has proven to be incredibly damaging. The longevity drains
politicians and their focus on their job and policy is replaced by focus and effort put into their
campaign, it is extremely costly which puts some candidates at a disadvantage and others in debt,
and it takes Americas focus off of important current events and replaces it with the campaign,
even at unimportant stages.
The Republican party has become the object of much scrutiny in recent years. As
America becomes more progressive, the party fails to acknowledge the need for change, causing
many individuals to feel estranged from the outdated views of the party. In recent years,
representatives of the party have admitted their exclusivity and the need to reach out more to
minority groups, namely women and those of latin decent, (Stewart). Focus group studies have
shown that modern day Republicans are perceived as a bunch of rich, out of touch, white men,
(Stewart). The partys recognition and admission of their weaknesses seemed to indicate a
possibility of change or reform within the party, but no such change has occurred. The candidate
currently leading in the polls for the GOP is Donald Trump, a complete embodiment of
everything Republicans were trying to exorcise from their party, (Stewart). Trumps leadership
in the polls has caused analysts to seriously question the state of and future of the Republican

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party. Some say the beginning of the end [of the party] has begun while others refuse to believe
the party will end, but what the Republican Party is actually going to be, come the presidential
campaign of 2024, is a very open question, (Erickson & Douthat). Questioning how much
longer the Republican party will thrive also begs the question of the plausibility of a party dying
out. Political expert Domenech states that parties can die, they do so very rarely.; but
sometimes, they just evolve into something that no longer recognizes its past as representing
anything historically valuable in guiding its future, (Douthat). Domenechs explanation
seemingly encompasses the current situation of the GOP. The hysteria and sensationalism of the
party does not compete with the calm logic of the original establishment. The bracket of potential
Republican candidates is so large and diverse, that the party is struggling tot place support
behind a single one, (Cohn). Three of the top candidates lack any political experience, and the
ones who are in government, are floundering in the polls. Yankovich begs the question is this
the last presidential election where the Republicans will even matter? due to the partys extreme
right wing agenda, hyper-focus on mundane issues, and estrangement of many different groups
of voters (Yankovich). The Republican party regrouped during Obamas administration and
appeared to be attempting to be a more appealing, inclusive party, but polling evidence
demonstrates the party has only worsened and alienated more voters than ever before.
The role of media, namely comedy, in political campaigns has become unparalleled in
recent years. Millennials make up a large population of voters, (Lehman). Research has shown
that 39% of these millennials rely on satire such as The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight for
their news, (Conan). Many individuals have given reason, saying they feel individuals such as

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Jon Stewart report the news that the mainstream media wont, (Conan). But how do the
politicians feel about the role of comedy in their campaign? TV producers have said candidates
are keen to get a spot on their nightly shows (Conan). Research shows that guest appearances on
comedy talkshows are the single best way to appeal to young voters (Lehman). Surveys show
that audiences feel as if the candidate is more authentic in a comedy setting, their personality
visible through their improv versus scripted speeches of rallies or debates, (Lehman). Young
voters also have stated they are more willing to vote for a candidate who is able to make fun of
themselves because it makes them appear more human (Conan). Though the older generations
look down upon candidates humoring their voters by appearing on comedic late-night talk
shows, research demonstrates that the progressive millennial generation relies on these
appearances to inform their voting decisions and are more swayed by their guest appearances
than by debates or serious interviews. Candidates such as Hillary Clinton who acknowledge the
importance of appealing to the younger generation through comedy mediums are going to surge
in polls.
Presidential campaigns are an exciting time for the country, especially in an election year
with a guaranteed outcome of a new president. Despite the excitement however, much time and
energy is wasted on the lengthy campaign process. Candidates are unable to fund their
campaigns and drop out sooner than expected due to a lack of funds. The election remains over a
year away and already millions of dollars have been spent on tireless campaigning, removing the
focus of these individuals away from their jobs and making their campaign a sole priority. The
election has shown an interesting turn for the Republican party. The GOP debates garnering
millions of views, not because of political interest, but because individuals are unable to stay
away from the hilarity and illegitimacy of the top candidates, namely Trump. The party consists

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of extreme right-wingers with sensationalist platforms that isolate potential voters. The
Republican pool begs the question, how much strength and longevity does the party really have
left? With a new host of The Daily Show and shows such as Last Week Tonight, the presence of
comedy in media is stronger than ever. With the focus on comedy, candidate participation in
these shows becomes a vital part of their campaign. Young voters are hungry for change and
make up a large demographic of the voters, and the most prudent way for a candidate to appeal to
this group is through appearances on comedic shows. The 2016 presidential debate has displayed
new strengths of the media and voters, but also has strongly demonstrated new weaknesses in the
parties and the campaign system. The only constant in this unpredictable election season is that
change is imminent.

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Works Cited
Cohn, Nate. "Donald Trump vs. the Party: Why Hes Still Such a Long Shot." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 09 Sept. 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
Conan, Neal. "How Does Comedy Influence Politics?" Talk of the Nation. National Public Radio.
7 Aug. 2008. Radio. Transcript.
Douthat, Ross. "The End of the Republican Party?" The New York Times. The New York Times,
1 Sept. 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
Erickson, Erick. "The Beginning of the End." RedState. N.p., 31 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.
Lehman, Daniel. "Can Comedy Decide the Presidential Election?" Backstage. N.p., 24 Oct.
2012. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
Parlapiano, Alicia. "How Presidential Campaigns Became Two-Year Marathons." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 16 Apr. 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
Stewart, Jon. "Trump Is 'Living Embodiment of Everything Republicans Were Trying to
Exorcise'" YouTube. YouTube, 30 July 2015. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.
Yang, Lorelei. "The 2012 Presidential Election Is Too Long." Mic. N.p., 27 Jan. 2012. Web. 14
Sept. 2015.
Yankovich, David. "Is This the End of the GOP?" The Huffington Post: Politics.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 9 Sept. 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.