Many people are saying that Romney won the first TV debate between him and Obama. I myself believe that Romney performed well during that debate. But it’s still too early to say that Romney is the better debater than Obama since there are still 2 upcoming TV debates between them.  A televised presidential debate somehow gives us a hint on how a presidential candidate would face the public in case he or she gets elected to the presidency. But a televised presidential debate should not become the sole basis of one’s judgment in electing a candidate to the presidency. In the history of humankind, there have been excellent statesmen who were poor debaters during their lifetimes.  Good statesmanship has nothing to do with good debating skills or vice versa. People should use their rational, moral and empirical criteria in choosing a president. A presidential candidate who has clear credibility, honesty and integrity as a leader deserves to be elected to the presidency. A presidential candidate who will not sell her or his principles and ideals in exchange of political and economic profits deserves to get elected to the presidency. People should vote to the presidency someone who can stand up well to the principles and advocacies that he or she believes in. A would-be chief executive of a country should be someone who is a trusted public servant. Voters should research well about the true character of a presidential candidate before electing her of him to the presidency. The character of a presidential candidate should be one of the excellent bases in voting for a president. Voters should really use their common sense and wisdom in electing someone to the presidency.

I have 3 top criteria when it comes to electing someone to the presidency. These are: 1.) The past accomplishments of a presidential candidate.  2.) How the candidate’s past policies worked out and how such candidate stood up to the principles that he or she believes in. 3.) The presidential candidate’s good character as a public servant or leader. The said criteria would really show the true personality of the one who is running for the presidency. Such criteria are much more important than grading the debating skill of a particular presidential candidate. A person who is good in debate means that he or she is quite good in arguing her or his points of view. But being a good leader is quite different from being a good debater. A presidential candidate’s debating skill can be one of the criteria in choosing the nation’s chief executive. But other important criteria in choosing the right person to the presidency should also be utilized by voters to ensure that they will elect in accordance with their common sense and wisdom. Voters should look for good leadership rather than grade the debating skill of a candidate who is aspiring to be a president of their nation.