The current crop of Republican presidential hopefuls couldn’t be better friends of Barack Obama if they just came out and openly endorsed him.
Huckabee, Romney, Palin, Gingrich, Pawlenty, etc, all bouncing around in a very hollow box will debate, preach, yak, posture, whatever it takes to totally lose support because… because not one of them, nor all of them together, has the charisma of Obama. And the winner is, always was, and always will be the best actor. The guy (get a grip–the term includes girls, just like your waiter/waitress says) who wins is the one that comes across as the best TV actor. The shiniest celebrity on the tube. Before TV pictures took over and killed tons of ugly politicians, it was the best stage and radio actor.
The Kennedy/Nixon thing started it of course. And Kennedy, who never accomplished anything but talk, talk, talk kept the Charisma advantage until he died? No, still has it. Some people still think of him as a great president, but it took ugly old Lyndon Johnson, who could manipulate politicians so well, to get it all done. But Johnson was never a big talent at swaying public opinion.
So it is with the current gang of Republicans. They all have their party appeal, but are totally limited in their public appeal as presidential candidates. They’ll all march along, collect a good deal of money for the fight, get endorsements of some so-called influential members of the party, but fall flat when it comes to capturing the public celebrity worship it takes to become president in a fight with someone who already has it.
Like Bob Dole did his party and himself a great disservice by running against Bill Clinton. Just fumbled along eating Clinton dust. And how did George W. win, when he has the charisma of a lead balloon? Simple. His opponents pulled off the impossible and came off worse in the charisma department.
Yeh, we’ll be hearing all about the issues. Issues will be spurting copiously from the mouths of the TV heads and the talk show yakkers. That’s their job. But in the end, issues will mean nothing. The top celebrity will win. Always has, always will.
