This is why the people are attracted to Obama and not Nader, just as an example.

Though Nader is highly principled, and very strong in his idealism, and has a lot of really progressive ideas, he doesn’t get a whole lot of traction when the country is is obsessed instead with a great orator who has this huge, built-up personality. The political process becomes more of an exercise in celebrity theater. Among Dems and Repubs alike, big personalities dominate the stage. Even John McCain has a very entertaining and colorful personality.

It’s this idea of celebrity, and our infatuation with personality that has stopped us from electing leaders out of agreeance with principles and ideals, which ought to be the exact reason we do vote for people.

Well, that and that the danger of electing a Republican causes people to vote Democrat out of fear, but that’s a whole different side of the issue.

Maybe they’ll get smart and have Dr. Paul give the response next time.

I’d love to see that, but it’ll never happen, for the reasons listed above.

Congressman Paul is just the cranky old guy whose tones aren’t mellifluous enough. He doesn’t come across as dashing and hopeful. He doesn’t tell jokes well. He always votes based on principle, even when it’s obviously not popular. He clearly describes truths we don’t want to hear. He “set brushfires of freedom in men’s minds”, enticing new members and money to a party determined to die. His silly Austrian Economics predicted the current economic conditions years in advance. And he advocates doing things for yourself without resorting to accepting stolen goods. Who wants that??

He doesn’t have the kind of charisma that makes for an impassioned respondent or presidential candidate.

He’s just right.

If he’s the future of the GOP, then the GOP is in bigger trouble than everyone thinks.

Maybe they’ll get smart and have Dr. Paul give the response next time.

Many (probably a large majority of people) evaluate potential leaders mostly on charisma. People who lead small groups usually know how to “work a room”. Part of the job requirement for an aspiring president is to be able to “work a nation”. (We’re currently getting worked pretty well) ;-)

Other qualities add into the mix as well. Height can be one. It reminds me of the quote by Franklin on Washington: “He’s always the tallest man in the room. He’s bound to lead something someday.”

Voice is another. Males with deeper tones tend to have more effect than higher pitched voices. Deep tones also subliminally convey comfort and certainty, whereas high tones tend to convey the opposite.

I see it as similar to the way so many people tend to choose a car by the color.

Perhaps meeting aesthetic requirements is enough to satisfy some folks. It can be much easier to stop there than to delve into probable directions that leader might pick.

In order to be elected in America, a person has to have “charisma”. The actual definition is the sort of personality that people generally think associated with leadership or charm. It’s a personality trait, which is far different than intelligence or ideology, but it’s the main method by which most Americans actually relate to a candidate.

There are many terms for it… Seeming “presidential”, or having “gravitas”. In some cases (like 2000), it’s “who I’d like to have a beer with” — I can tell you I’d rather have a beer with Bush than with Gore or Kerry, and I’d probably rather have one with Obama than McCain. But in all respects, it’s a personality characteristic rather than really describing how someone will govern.

It’s a knee-jerk reaction based on a relatively small data point, but I immediately got the opposite reaction to Jindal. He seemed dry, boring, and a “policy wonk” — and this coming from someone who’s a bit of a policy wonk myself. He simply didn’t seem “Presidential”, and that’s not a criticism of him, but rather a statement about our electoral process.

After four years of Obama’s extreme liberalism, people will be looking for alternative. While people are losing jobs in 49 states, only Bobby Jindal in Louisiana has created jobs in the last year. While Obama has charisma and style, Jindal offers real substance as a leader.

Oh, and to Miko, Jindal does not support REAL ID. As a congressman, he was part of the Republican group who opposed it.

That wasn’t me who made that comparison, it was Brad, and he was speaking of his personal opinion of the (lack of) charisma that Jindal displayed in the speech and comparing to similarly non-charismatic politicians like Kucnich, Paul, and Nader.

Personally, I think Kucinich is on a completely different planet from the rest of us — but I think that Brad broader point is correct.

Jindal bombed on Tuesday. He’s not dead, but he’s got work to do if he wants to run for President in 2016, 2020, or 2024.

I think it is wrong you put him on this list

Perhaps “never” is too strong of a term, perhaps it should be “This Bobby Jindal” who won’t become President… If he changes, he might have a shot — but it will take a major overhaul from what I saw on Tuesday night.

All of these people were put into the running by the power elite. The “charisma” is sort of a dumbed down notion when you’re talking about running for the head Voodoo Doll Of The Masses(POTUS).

I’d ask you, do you really think everything Obama is selling is anything of his own design? Same question, insert Clinton, Bush I or II?

The modern POTUS position is only there for you and the world to pin their identity, frustration, fear, and joy onto. The last real POTUS we had was JFK. That’s not to say JFK was so great, he was only the last POTUS who actually believed any of his own words, and acted as much as possible of his own volition. You could also count Nixon in a very minor way, but mainly he was just a drunk mess.

To sum up, if the power elite has interest in making Jindal a contender, it’s a done deal. The ball doesn’t get rolling at this stage by what the American people consider charisma. And no that’s not saying Jindal is so great, either.

Ideas are great but without the ability to communicate them to the public, you’ve got nothing.

Reagan wasn’t called The Great Communicator for nothing.