Ever since the first televised presidential debates in 1960 between Vice President Richard Nixon and Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, the way American voters evaluate and choose a president has changed dramatically. The role of the media has influenced how campaigns are run and how democracy operates – from debates crafted and choreographed for television, to quick, often misleading impressions that are formed in our sound-byte, video-clip driven culture.

As the current campaign for president seesaws from a discussion of the issues and policy options to style-over-substance media moments, Americans are once again challenged to assess the true competencies of the candidates amidst a relentless swirl of images and words. What are the best barometers for seeing the total “package” and judging the character and values that make a candidate a sound and trustworthy president? What are the superficial things that voters sometimes focus on that get in the way of sizing up a principled leader? Join the Tower Forum for a provocative election year look at the pros and cons of the American way of selecting a president.

Speakers:

VOTE FOR THE PACKAGE! Mitchell Caesar is chairman of the Democratic Party of Broward County and is a member of the Democratic National Committee's Florida Delegation. He also serves as chairman of the Broward Democratic Executive Committee.

VOTE FOR PRINCIPLES! Chip LaMarca is chairman of the Republican Party of Broward County and of the Broward Republican Executive Committee. For the past three years, he has served as a city commissioner for the City of Lighthouse Point.