We complain about the news media coverage a lot; academics say it's horse race and not enough substance. Voters say it's insulting at times and biased. Every party and position have a way of getting their messages across but don't you think the media would take a cue from voters if we elevated our own political debate and discourse? I hate to sound like a graduate student but talking about who you're going to vote for should be just that - why you like the candidate you do. When you stop talking about your candidate and start talking about the competition, it's a sign you may lack the confidence in your own choice, and need to take down the other in order to feel as if you have made your point. I know this sounds idyllic, but think about it... I teach my kids that a compliment for one doesn't mean you have to insult the other. A compliment is just that - saying something nice, something you like about someone. It's really very simple. If we focus on why we like a candidate, what we think his or her strengths are, we can change the way the media covers elections - and a small difference will have an exponentially large effect.