We do a better job picking the next American Idol than the next American President. Instead of being concerned about negative campaigns, we should be concerned about choosing able leaders.

The list of negative campaigns would be long and mean. If we could ask them, past candidates might give us an earful. Andrew Jackson would lament how a vicious press literally killed his wife, Rachel. Abraham Lincoln could opine about being called a "stupid ape" and about the use of venal racism to scare voters. Herbert Hoover could decry Franklin Roosevelt unjustly blaming him for the Great Depression and branding this great humanitarian as a heartless soul. Just imagine what Barry Goldwater might say about Lyndon Johnson's "Daisy Ad."

But long and mean campaigns often resulted in outstanding leadership. Can the same be said today? Why not?

Start by blaming television for minimizing substantive debate! It drives today's process feeding on pretty pictures and clever sound bites. We're not conducting thoughtful elections. We're having beauty contests. It is doubtful if great leaders like Abraham Lincoln or FDR could be elected today.

In addition to minimizing debate, negative stories, even baseless ones, arise in a moment because of television. Can anyone say "Swift Boats" or "Dan Rather?" Many who might make good leaders simply choose not to run because of the unbearable scrutiny of themselves, their families and their friends.

Almost as important, is the harmful advent of primary elections. Primaries began to develop in the early 1900s and grew into a determinative way to choose a President until after the chaotic 1968 Democratic convention. Seen as a way to minimize infighting and deal making, in reality it reduced the willingness of parties to form meaningful election platforms. Today, platforms are mostly window dressing which candidates may or may not support. From such pointless platforms, we get pointless governing. I wish we could go back to having party leaders picking candidates in knock down, drag out brawl in smoke-filled back rooms. That's how we got men like Lincoln and FDR!

Let's not be unduly concerned about negative campaigning. Instead let's be concerned about finding a way to choose able leaders.

Learn more about this author, Donald Moore.
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