Who decides what candidate is in the top tier?

Question

I thought it was americans that decided who is viable, but it seems the media and party employees decide who is top tier. Or is it who has the most campaign money? I thought we elected presidents but now i'm finding we are being told who to vote for. And we wonder why our country is going to shiite!

Answer 1

It's generally based on polls, so you do have some say in this. Of course money and the media do influence who has the highest polling numbers, but it is generally based on polling data. So when they say, for example, that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are the top Democratic candidates, and John Edwards is third, that usually means they have the highest percentage of supporters, though sometimes it might mean who has raised the most money, and occasionally it might mean who the media thinks are going to be the frontrunners.

Answer 2

sadly I am laughing right now, coughing with lungs that don't like fire ...(i am in Florida & allergies also bad...)
WHO? It usually begins with a visible high profile person stating their intentions to run. Exploratory committees and paperwork filed. Media goes off the rails at this point. If they have a history it gets interesting. Controversy spirals and the more attention one gets the more confused the issues are. It's a cycle of walls and mirrors for the most part. Money. You bet. This election is not about little ads that say oh! he did that? No it is underground dirty laundry and outings as usual. This time we have been sandwiched between two crafty Clinton's. If this is not the most controversial election in history I will be shocked. You have got to always consider the players. Polls are secondary and mean little in my opinion. Who did they ask anyway? Not me? You?
Elected... hmm well, not exactly. The poll numbers to worry about are those or the lack of during an election. More vote for Idol contestants than politicians. Turn outs are legendary, miserable. But complain they do. I voted Bush, did u? Did u vote at all. That's the worry. Sorry nothing personal that is to anyone who reads this.
Shite in a handbasket my Y! friend. Just a bunch of whiners now. Support and send a solid message to our troops? Nope. Like Vietnam those who mean well will devastate those returning in wonder, what did I do so wrong. God help US all.

Answer 3

nice theory, but the issue is that americans are lazy about choosing candidates. Want proof? Recently listening to a poll on the street conducted by a republican radio show host, he walked up to random strangers, asked if they were democrat, and if they were, asked if and why they would vote for Hillary Clinton. Invariably, they said yes, but when asked why, none of the interviewees had a real answer about politics, views, or anything of the sort! The real reason is they knew who she was and she was a democrat!
What this hints to is people being lazy and getting their information from wherever is convenient... and that's the media. The point is we all need to do our research on candidates, research their record, what have they stood for consistently, are there any character flaws, what happened in the government agencies they've been a part of? etc... Until people stop being lazy, the candidate with the most media exposure will likely do best in the polls.

BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT... sorry, i had to ;-)

Answer 4

Right now it's the press. They decide whose campaign to cover, who gets to go on Sunday morning shows, etc. In essence, they decide who gets the exposure to the voting public.

Answer 5

It's the media and the two parties, both of which don't care about the American people.

Answer 6

I agree with you 100 percent. I honestly don't think our votes matter.