What sets Trump apart from past presidents is that his medium of choice happens to be more effective in quickly – at any hour – spreading an unfiltered message to a wide audience – an ability that could translate into a “major departure from the way presidents have governed in the past,” says Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington and author of “Spinner in Chief: How Presidents Sell Their Policies and Themselves.”
Whether this shift is good for American voters or not is a matter of perspective.
“Twitter amplifies the ability for presidents and presidential candidates to focus on character rather than policy substance,” Professor Farnsworth says. “People in great numbers voted for Donald Trump because they liked who Donald Trump was…and that connection with the public may be a model for future politicians who think about using social media to say more about who you are than what you would do in office.”
