2 of 35

Write now Article Tools

Every four years the political spirit of every American seems to come alive as they religious watch every caucus, primary, and debate involving a candidate hopeful of becoming the next president of the United States of America. No matter which news channel you turn on, there is always some "expert" discussing which candidate did well on which debate and which candidate needs to improve their position on some social issue.

Sometimes, people get sucked into the energy of the event and start using buzz words as a way of describing the characteristics that they search for in a candidate. You may have heard such buzz words and catch phrases. Most notably are "it is time for a change," or some other sentence using the word "change." Another common buzz word is "ability." People say that they want a president that has the ability to change things. What does that mean? What change do people want? Be specific!

If I had to label myself as to a political party, I would say that I am neither a republican nor a democrat. I am what has been referred to as a moderate. I believe that the republicans have good ideas on some issues, and I believe that the democrats have good ideas on other issues. However, regardless of my political view on certain issues, there are certain qualities that I look for in a candidate.

I want a president that is willing to fix the problems that exist in this country (such as unemployment, hunger, and poverty) before sending money and resources to other countries. I believe that you have to fix your home before you can help alleviate the problems that exist in other parts of the world. If private individuals want to help poor countries, I applaud them and encourage them to do so. However, such a task is not the job of the government, unless the government has addressed and fixed the same problems in its own country.

I want a president that is a great orator. In my opinion, nothing sucks the energy out of speech more than a person who fumbles over words and creates unusually long pauses between points. When the President is addressing the county, he/she needs to do so with energy and with a powerful message that will make me what to listen.

Last, I want a president that is a diplomat. For years it seems that America has used its military as its negotiator. I want to make something clear, if military force is necessary, then I believe that we should utilize it. However, I believe that certain American leaders have been too quick to abandon negotiations with foreign countries and too unwilling to form international "friendships." Additionally, I believe that certain American leaders have been too willing to use or threaten to use military force. Obviously, I am just one citizen and am not privy to the same information as our Commander and Chief and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but I do believe that much can be accomplished through diplomacy and as such, I want a president that will be more diplomatic.

Therefore, I want a home-minded, eloquent speaking, diplomat for president. I could have stated that I want an honest, economically responsible, tax-cutter for president, but this would be a waste because everybody uses these buzz words to describe what they want in a leader. As such, I encourage you to seriously consider what you really want in a leader and vote for the candidate that best matches your description.

Learn more about this author, Marco Angioni II.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about US elections 2008: Qualities of a genuine American president?
We want to hear your view. Write now!