Let's Forget "The Charisma Thing" - (NY) Newsday

[DinahMoeHum]

Link:
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpkam283908531jul28,0,2531714.story?coll=ny-viewpoints-headlines

(snip)
As Hillary Clinton said on Monday night, "John Kerry is a serious man for a serious job for a serious time in our country." Bravo.

Let me state for the record, I don't care if John Kerry is cute. I don't care if he is likable. I don't care if he is charismatic and feels my pain. And I definitely don't want to drink beer with him - I can find my own drinking buddies, thank you very much.
(snip)
In 2000 we tried electing a beer-drinking buddy and look what it got us. A guy with so little experience and curiosity about the world that he allowed himself to be dragged into a war in Iraq.
(snip)
On the domestic side, this guy has spent money like a drunken sailor without any regard for huge deficits.

Maybe it's time to start picking presidents like we'd pick a brain surgeon. If someone has to cut open your head, do you really care if he is likable or charismatic?

Honestly, let's get real. The next president will lead a complex world filled with dangerous and still largely invisible enemies.
(snip)
Not only are we addicted to charisma; we are addicted to the elaborate wordsmithing and labeling that goes with it. The New Deal. The Fair Deal. The Real Deal. How about tomorrow night we throw all this junk out the window and settle on something far more prosaic like "Fix the mess"?
(snip)

much more...


:kick:

[liberalmuse]

1. I like John Kerry's serious manner...

Let's face it, thanks to Bush, we're in deep doo-doo. We need someone who's going to lead like an adult in helping us bail ourselves out of this mess. It's time for a President with the seriousness of an FDR, not some stupid goofball frat boy.