Final answer:
The framers adopted the Electoral College to insulate the president from the masses and minimize the direct influence of the general voting public on the presidency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The framers adopted the Electoral College as a way to insulate the president from the masses. The founders were cautious about granting too much power to the general voting public, so they created a system where electors, not the people, technically elect the president. The Electoral College was designed to serve as a buffer between the electorate and the candidate, minimizing the direct influence of the masses on the presidency.