Kristen Adams

Columnist

I watched the presidential debate on Sept. 26 and tried my best not to be swayed by the immediate media backlash. I watched the debate live on Fox News in order to get first-hand information. Once the debate ended, I looked at news articles from CNN, Fox News and NBC to see who they considered the “winner.”

As the debates are going on, it is important to stay as informed as possible since we all need to make our voices heard at the polls. Getting together with a group of friends to watch the presidential debates is a fun way to stay informed but could lead to a mob mentality in favor of one candidate or the other between friends.

Keeping an open mind throughout the election process and trying to see whose plans are the best thought-out, most pragmatic and most economically feasible is essential. Multiple sources and points of view are the best way to avoid being swayed toward a specific candidate without having all the facts. The decision of who to vote for as president is an extremely important decision, and it needs to come from well-informed individuals so I encourage students to do their research.

Maddie Steen

Columnist

When I want to find information on the presidential candidates, I visit the candidates’ campaign homepages, watch the debates and take a look at a few different online sites.

By viewing candidates’ homepages, I can read about their stance on different issues, his or her background and the changes he or she hopes to make. This information is the most appealing because it comes directly from the candidate and seems personal.

After watching the presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, I don’t think the debates are the best way to learn information about the candidates. Hopefully the next debate is a little more informative than interruptive.

Searching online is where I find most of my information. The best source I’ve come across is “On The Issues,” a website with an analysis of debate topics, past presidents, the supreme court, state legislation and mainstream media, because it’s so detailed.

Gathering information from different types of sources is helpful and creates a well-rounded opinion on each of the candidates before voting time comes around.

Brooklyn Harper

Columnist

My information on politics tends to come from unreliable sources. Twitter memes, Facebook fights and incredibly biased or ridiculous news articles catch my eye more than anything else.

I cannot bring myself to support either candidate in this election or bring myself to care about their shenanigans. Watching a debate or news coverage of the election feels more like watching a comedy to me.

Occasionally, I see a tweet complaining about a candidate doing or saying this or that which will spark my interest. Then, I visit CNN and the New York Times’ websites for more trustworthy information. It works well for me to see the same story reported from both extremes — very liberal and very conservative — since I don’t personally identify with either party.

I wish it could be as simple as finding a single, unbiased source, but that is not possible. This is what makes it so important to fact check with multiple sources with various biases. Social media is an OK place to begin research, but it must not be considered complete until multiple sources projecting various angles have been examined.

Ian Tancun

Columnist

I tend to get my election information from a variety of sources. When I’m at home, I usually have MSNBC or CNN playing in the background while doing homework. In politics, I tend to be more on the liberal side, so I prefer MSNBC. Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes and Lawrence O’Donnell, the hosts of some of MSNBC’s news and opinion shows, reflect a liberal viewpoint in the content they cover.

Although I do tune in to CNN, a majority of its political commentators are conservative. CNN hired Corey Lewandowski, presidential candidate Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, after he was fired from the campaign in June, according to CNN’s website. While I respect their opinions, I can only stomach listening to Trump surrogates trying to shove his agenda down my throat for short periods of time before I have to switch channels.

I highly recommend the Daily Show with Trevor Noah on Comedy Central for those who may find politics boring to begin with. The Daily Show is political news and election coverage told in an incredibly entertaining way which makes it easier to digest. Although it is a comedy show, most of what they cover is informative and entertaining.