It has been 55 years since the famous political debate between John F. Kennedy and then vice president Richard Nixon. Even though many of us weren’t keeping score as it happened, the legacy of that debate can be felt today. It was the first time a political debate had been broadcast on national T.V and it allowed every viewer to see the confident, handsome Kennedy defeat the sick and sweaty Nixon.

Here’s a little clip from that debate…

Fast forward to 2015 and the world of Donald Trump. Technology has expanded since the early 60’s but the media still controls the outcome of elections. An NBC news article estimated that around half of the total coverage for the 2016 presidential election focused on Trump. So while other candidates and voters continue to wait for the Trump flame to die out, he’ll keep on being the captivating figure we all know him to be. It is clear that Trump has mastered what Kennedy started in 1960- dominate the competition through the media. Now, I’m not saying that everything Trump says is all well and good and I’m certainly not comparing him to JFK politically. However, Trump has figured out the system. An article in today’s New York Times shows that over the last two months, just on Twitter, Trump has been mentioned in 6.3 million conversations, 8 times more than other leading republicans like Ben Carson or Marco Rubio. Trump owns social media! Is it a coincidence that he’s always at the top of the polls?

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Twitter is a great outlet for candidates to voice their opinions. With each post, Trump is able to reach out to millions of people. In today’s technology driven world, it is in one’s best interest to expose yourself in as many ways possible. Any publicity is good publicity! Trump knows that as long as him name remains relevant in the 2016 election, he has a shot. So whether it’s tweeting out your thoughts and sparking controversy or speaking your mind during the debate, if technology is always involved.

So even though Trump takes a ton of heat from almost everybody, he has become a social icon that we love to talk about and discuss. You probably can’t get through the day without coming across something Donald Trump related. He is truly the most popular candidate from either party and one that has maybe previewed future elections.

Here’s one last clip that shows how people just enjoy their Trump.