Reality has a Well Known Bias

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to address the elephant in the room. NISGElections.com is a well-known Walrath-Goldsmith spin machine, right? We are set against the other candidates and doing what we can to make sure this is a coronation for Spencer and Ian, right? We're waiting to announce our endorsement of them, right?

Let me take this time to dispel those rumors. Adam and I have no plans to make an endorsement. Frankly, I have no clue who I'm going to vote for. There's not even a ticket I wouldn't vote for. I'm waiting to see how the campaign goes and, more specifically, the debate.

The issue comes down to the difference between bias and acknowledging smart tactics. Why has this blog been accused of being pro-Walrath-Goldsmith? Because they've run a really smart campaign. Their website is one of the best NISG elections have ever seen. Their platform is relatively detailed and innovative. The posters, buttons, and notoriety all make them the obvious front-runners. Walrath in particular has the most experience of any candidate, in this humble writer's opinion. He was called an NISG Senate veteran because he is an NISG Senate veteran. There are a mere handful of people on campus who can compare to the number of years he has spent with NISG.

Does this make them perfect? Absolutely not. Reed-Simonson and Greenway-Beaves have already visited far more student groups and Walrath-Goldsmith is struggling to find the right mix of professionalism and approachableness. There is plenty of room for the dynamics of this race to shift.

That said, the other candidates aren’t helping themselves out. This blog has been accused, in particular, of being anti-Greenway-Beaves. We are not. What we are is anti-mudslinging on non-substantive issues; anti-platforms that lack depth and a real plan. We feel this way because we’ve been there. My platform had some of the same issues, and no one called me out on it. This year, Adam and I plan to change that.

There is hope on the horizon. As I tweeted today, Greenway-Beaves has started a new, innovative vlog series. When I ran for office, we wanted to blog about each group we visited and give an overview of their concerns to us. It turned out to be far too ambitious of a program for us to undertake. I applaud Greenway-Beaves for taking it on. It also provides a very personal touch for them.

Reed-Simonson is not to be discounted either. While their website still isn’t on par with Walrath-Goldsmith, it has improved since launch day. Reed was great at the Dems meeting on Thursday and I really believe this ticket can make up a lot of ground if they get a chance to meet with student groups – particularly if Walrath-Goldsmith isn’t hitting the campaign trail with an equal amount of vigor.

So, what’s the future of NISGElections.com? We can promise you unbiased, insider information and analysis on the NISG Presidential campaigns. That is not to be confused with equally supportive coverage. Sometimes, a ticket will have a better plan, a better campaign, or a better website. We will not shy away from announcing it when this is the case. We are running this blog to force candidates to step up their games. I have no doubts they will.