[December 20, 2015] The Republican debates have resulted in a number of unexpected consequences for the candidates and the party itself. For those interested in the study of senior leadership, the debates have given us food for thought on who possesses the traits necessary to hold the presidency and has provided some entertainment value along the way.
Unlike previous debates, where I only provided a summary of what a few senior leaders said, it would be appropriate to also look at it in the context of what the “average” American thinks. Notable here, there have also been a number of recent major events that flavor the debates; those that stress senior leaders and effect everyone.
This past Tuesday night, December 15, CNN hosted the Republican debate in Las Vegas. Here are a few issues that most people care about:
- The recent Islamic terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino injected a new twist on how a nation’s foreign affairs are discussed. A key element was how to prevent more attacks on the homeland and to discuss it without getting into classified areas.
- Domestic security was the second major topic. The conduct of law enforcement and military efforts at home and abroad were discussed in the context of a public that is “frightened” by recent terror attacks.
- Center stage also was the issue of immigration; illegal immigration, accepting refugees from the Middle East, and a relook at the U.S. comprehensive immigration philosophy and policies.
What senior leaders see and how they differ from the average citizen has been my focus here. This time I also asked a number of senior leaders – many from prior analyses – how they believe they themselves are different from the “average” voter. Their answers were surprising.
The two main differences they told me are: 1) that the average American adult has little skin in the game and this affects how they vote and 2) senior leaders deeply believe that leadership traits such as honesty and integrity are more important than race, gender, etc. but, they believe, most Americans don’t agree with them. One senior leader said that less than one percent of adults actually watched any of the debates.
Senior leaders a very few; especially great senior leaders. They see themselves as obligated to help get the word out to the average American (not just to those who vote) on those candidates who would make the best president. Of those in the Republican field, here is their list in no particular order: Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, and Chris Christie.
No one should be surprised at this list by senior leaders. Conspicuously not listed here is the front runner and businessman Donald Trump or libertarian conservative Rand Paul for the main reason that they are both not trustworthy.
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[Disclaimer] I have no affiliation with any presidential candidate, nor do any of my relatives. I’m a registered Republican with a history of voting. The views here are mine and mine alone and I am responsible for any errors contained in my blog.