Karl Becker isn’t a politician. He’s a regular dad from Washington, Missouri, but on Sunday night, he became a political hero.
Like the red sweatered Ken Bone, Becker, who works in sales and has two teenagers, jumped into the spotlight during the second presidential debate thanks to a simple question that took a step back from the nitty-gritty details of policy and focused instead on the seemingly forgotten concept of basic human decency.
SEE ALSO:Ken Bone's glorious red sweater is sold out"Would either of you name one positive thing that you respect in one another?" he asked Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on Sunday night, in solid dad style.
"I wanted to do it for my kids," the uncommitted voter told Mashableon Monday. He was talking about his daughter Darcy, 18, and son Shane, 15. The two kids have been having a field day on social media since their dad was declared a national icon.
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The question
We've seen their debate skills, we've seen them attempt to highlight their own strengths and each other's weaknesses at every opportune moment, but Becker's question put Trump and Clinton to the ultimate test. He forced the candidates to temporarily abandon their "fight" mode and tap into pure compassion.
As the eighth and final audience member to ask a question at the town hall-style debate, Becker's appeal to generate some much-needed kindness in the face of these mudslinging campaigns touched the hearts of tired and discouraged Americans.
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"It wasn’t meant to be 'gotcha' question," Becker told Mashable, before acknowledging that the reactions of the crowd showed how unusual it was to hear such a normal question. "My intent was to ask a question and maybe get some dialogue going away from the negativity in this campaign."
Earlier, Becker was unaware that moderator Anderson Cooper would call upon him to present his question, yet he said there were signs that it was going to be his lucky night.
He explained the negativity in the 48 hours prior to the debate, along with the several CNN producers complimenting the question during the pre-debate dinner, left him with a gut feeling that he would be asked. Surprise factor and all, Becker felt that the candidates' answers were heartfelt.
"I thought it was very complimentary of Secretary Clinton to discuss Mr. Trump’s family, and Mr. Trump was very complimentary of Secretary Clinton’s tenacity, her confidence, her assertiveness, the fight," Becker said.
Becker as a father and how the role factors into this election
Becker noted this is the first election in which his 18-year-old daughter will be able to vote.
"I want my kids to be independent thinkers, critical thinkers, to have fun in life and choose the path they feel they’re destined for," he said.
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"From a Gen-X-er to a millennial, it’s going to be your world and you guys have to stand up and be involved. In my opinion, this is the most important presidential election you’ll ever experience in your lifetime."
On the wonderful Ken Bone
At the request of CNN, Becker returned to Washington University on Monday, where he happened upon fellow beloved debate questioner, Kenneth Bone, the guy with the red sweater who asked the important question about America's energy needs and won the public's heart.
Following the debate, Twitter users had a new favorite presidential team: Bone and Becker 2016.
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Despite the love from both his daughter and the rest of America, Becker admitted to Mashable he hadn't had much interaction with Bone during the 14 hours they were sequestered for the debate."I’m not sure that Ken and I will ever see each other again," Becker said, blissfully unaware of the many dreams he would be crushing.
While we may not have our dream presidential ticket, at least we'll always have this epic photograph that Becker's daughter graciously snapped for America.
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What's next?
Becker's bold and unconventional action has received praise from celebrities like Katy Perry, Hozier and Rashida Jones, among others. He hopes that the positive feedback his question has been receiving will inspire candidates to take something away from his call for civility. "I hope my question will drive the third debate to less acrimony and more substance," Becker said.
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Becker's daughter's Snapchat story confirmed that even after attending the debate, he remains undecided in regards to his political preference, so the candidates really have to step it up during the next debate.
Snapchat of Karl Becker.Credit: snapchat/thedarcc"I’m not perfect, I’m far from it," Becker told Mashable."I just would like to believe that people can do the right thing ... we make mistakes, we don’t repeat them, we learn from them and we can then bestow that learning experience on somebody else."
TopicsDonald TrumpElectionsHillary ClintonPolitics
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