Are you supporting the current President or you are desperate to elect a new one? Let’s put this aside for a second. We are here now to find out together with you, what we, as a community think about the two candidates. Before the entire public has the chance to cast their votes, our audience helped us pin down the specifics of how voters see the candidates. Let’s learn whether stereotypes rule, or we can find hidden insights!
The questions about the two presidential candidates (‘How would you characterize Biden/Trump?’) are one of the most comprehensive surveys the 5-WORDS Club has run. We asked an expert in political science to take a look at the results of this crowdsource opinion of the two candidates. Here is what they had to say.
Looking at the words that respondents used in the case of both candidates, it is immediately apparent that bleak, and even cynical adjectives are very dominant, painting a picture of a gloomy future, no matter which candidate wins.
The shared opinion by both parties supporters about Biden is that he is an old and kind person, perhaps a little senile. Most people see a competent, but boring career politician. In most scenerios running such a candidate for presidency would be a failure. However, in 2020 we have seen stranger things happen.
On the other hand, we have the phenomenon of Donald Trump. It is not surprising that Republicans tend to see the president more strong and determined, while Democrats see him as arrogant.
It might be a bit suprising, how much both sides of the aisle agree that he is nasty and arrogant, and more Democrats than Republicans think that he is idiotic, incompetent and unethical.
Well, this is the choice Amercicans have. Based on our research, the real question is not whether people see the downsides of the candidates, but whether they are repelled or discouraged by these characteristics.
Question of the Week – What is it?
5-WORDS runs weekly surveys about all topics intriguing to its readers and editors. All readers are welcome to suggest topics, you can submit your question here. Survey results are posted under Closed Questions. You can find further open surveys in varied topics under Open Questions.
Background
We live in unprecedented days. It is crucial to understand what leaders we elect to guide us through the difficult circumstances and rapid advancements the 21st century has wrought. With this tool and your participation, we will be able to better understand how the collective feels about our potential leaders. Whether this helps us in making a decision, or just understanding our options better, a collective approach will reveal our possibilities. Join us in the journey and let’s see what people think of the US 2020 presidential candidates!
As an example, see below what people thought of some of the greatest US presidents. Whether you identify as a Democrat, a Republican, or a third party, please lend your perspective to our research so we can be better informed about how our future might look. All answers are 100% anonymous!
1. Leaders in the Past
- Lincoln Characteristics traits
- Leadership traits of 3 US president
- What makes a good president?
- 21 most compelling qualities of great leaders
2. Qualities of a good President
Some common leadership qualities that good Presidents appear to have are the following:
- A strong vision for the country’s future
- An ability to put their own times in the perspective of history
- Effective communication skills
- The courage to make unpopular decisions
- Crisis management skills
- Character and integrity
- Wise appointments
- An ability to work with Congress
Most Americans have their own ideas about which Presidents deserve to be called great, and which ones were failures. Historians even get into the ratings game, with Harvard professor Arthur M. Schlesinger starting the modern game with his invitation to 55 prominent historians to rate the Presidents. Although the lists have varied over the years, some Presidents consistently rate at the top. Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin Roosevelt have locked up the top three spots in nearly every ranking survey. Others with high scores are Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Harry Truman. Usually near the bottom are James Buchanan, Ulysses Grant, and Warren Harding. Historians are reluctant to rank modern Presidents, because not enough time has passed to assess their legacies.
All Americans have different ideas about the importance that character plays in the job performance of the President. Considering all of the hats that a President must wear, perhaps the symbolic role that the President plays is most affected by character. Presidents must somehow symbolize what American citizens believe to be the essence of their country. They must represent what is valued now and in the past. But even more importantly, they embody the direction of America’s future.
Source: https://www.ushistory.org/gov/7e.asp
3. Shocking things you didn’t know about every US president
https://www.insider.com/us-presidents-facts-2018-2
