A political opinion leader who alerts the public to changes or problems.

• A. Political elite
• B. Horserace coverage
• C. Overt content
• D. Leading question

Answer: (A)

Political elites often serve as opinion leaders who monitor events, interpret their significance, and alert the public to changes or problems. By interpreting developments and signaling which issues should matter, they guide public attention and help people understand what to watch for, which is a key part of how information moves from media to citizens. This fits the idea of an opinion leader who actively flags issues as they arise, rather than simply reporting who is ahead in a race or presenting explicit messaging without guiding interpretation. Horserace coverage centers on campaign status, overt content describes explicit messaging, and a leading question introduces bias in surveying—none of these capture the messenger’s role of alerting the public to changes or problems like political elites do.