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Nikki Haley speaks with potential voters in a local New Hampshire brewery.

What is presidential?

Faced with a 鈥榙isappointing鈥 slate, voters assess what they鈥檙e looking for in a leader.

By Abigail Pritchard

MANCHESTER, N.H. 鈥 Following former president Donald Trump鈥檚 win at the first-in-the-nation primary Tuesday, Americans are likely facing a Biden-Trump matchup in the 2024 general election. Numerous polls suggest that most people don鈥檛 want to see this, which leaves them asking what it means to be presidential?

Most Americans are dissatisfied with a face-off between President Joe Biden, 80, and Trump, 77, according to 2023 polls from AP-NORC, CNN-SSRS, and NBC. The problems? Age for both and indictments. Trump is facing 91 felony indictments across four separate trials. A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll found that while Trump could lead Biden in a general election, Biden would likely lead Trump if Trump were convicted of any of his charges.

Still, New Hampshire voters varied on whether Trump鈥檚 indictments are deal-breakers.

At a rally for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, India Boillot, 17, said, 鈥淗e has no place being on the ballot, especially since he was impeached, and he has all the indictments against him.鈥

Adamant Trump supporters such as Richard Boddie, 50, however, think the indictments are entirely politically motivated. In the search for someone presidential, Boddie said he values Trump鈥檚 leadership and compassion.

鈥淵ou stand back and watch him talk to people,鈥 Boddie said of Trump. 鈥淗e is humble. He will stand there, and he will listen to you talk. He will not speak over you. He wants to hear what you have to say. Do you think Joe Biden would do that?鈥

Voters at a Laconia Trump rally tended to agree that Trump is presidential because he鈥檚 tough.

Charles Bradley, a 75-year-old Laconia voter, said, 鈥淲hat makes somebody presidential is the ability to make tough decisions and see that they鈥檙e acted on.鈥

Sarah Zeballos, 18, is also looking for someone tough 鈥 and Haley is her pick on that front.

鈥淚 think toughness is being brave,鈥 Zeballos said at a Haley rally. 鈥淚 actually really admire Nikki Haley as a woman to go out there and stand your ground and ignore backlash. I think being tough is to be a little stupid and to be a little brave.鈥

However, Max Abramson, a New Hampshire congressional candidate, said he wants a 鈥渧ery civil Eisenhower-type candidate,鈥 someone who makes the Republican party look good. He criticized Trump for bringing his 鈥渘ame-calling鈥 into the presidency.

鈥淵ou can kind of do that as a candidate,鈥 Abramson said. 鈥淏ut once you鈥檙e president, you鈥檙e supposed to kind of bring the country together.鈥

Still, Abramson thought Trump had good traits.

鈥淚 think that a lot of people were impressed by how much he supports military guys, how clear he was on foreign policy.鈥

But Bob Daly, a 64-year-old Laconia voter, said that in looking for someone presidential, he was more concerned with Trump鈥檚 age than his indictments.

鈥淭he legal issues don鈥檛 bother me,鈥 Daly said. 鈥淚f I thought they were that severe, I wouldn鈥檛 be here.鈥

At the time of the rally, Daly didn鈥檛 know who he would vote for. His wife, Nancy, 60, also went back and forth on the issue.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe he鈥檚 innocent, but I don鈥檛 believe the other side is innocent either,鈥 Nancy said. 鈥淲hat scares me is that we鈥檙e down to the same election that we had last time.鈥

Both Bob and Nancy said the slate of candidates is 鈥渄isappointing,鈥 partly because of the frontrunners鈥 age. But Nancy said that no candidate appears presidential.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they represent the values that I grew up with 鈥 honesty, integrity 鈥 and I think for years we’ve been lied to. By all of them,鈥 Daly said. 鈥淪o I don’t think any of them are very presidential in my book.鈥

91麻豆天美 Staff

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