A Presidential Candidate has to speak to the regular guy!

[napi21]

I'm listening to Bob Kincaid's show now, and during an interview they were talking about what a Candidate has to do to win.

Bob said, think about that last 2 Dem Presidents spoke like. Jimmy Carter & Bill Clinton. They both just talked to the regular guy like they were one of them, and people believed them!

I've never put it that way, but I've been saying a simmilar thing for a long time. I think that's why Kerry lost. He's smart, articulate, and a good guy, but he's perceived as "not being like me". Even through today, he speaks like a Senator, not like your neighbor.

Unfortunately, so far, the only person I've seen who fits the bill is Brian Schweitzer, Governor of Montana, and he said he's not interested!

[benny05]

1. John Edwards Does

Perhaps you will read his messages...:-)

[pocoloco]

2. No problem.

Wes can do that!

[bullimiami]

3. nope. kerry lost because the election was fixed.

kerry was no great oratory charmer but the american people werent as stupid as the vote count made us look.

[napi21]

6. Maybe, but the way to fix that isn't to keep complaining about it,

but to fight LOUD and HARD against voting systems that don't support a legitimate recount.

I also didn't mean or say the American people are stupid. They're not. But they do gravitate to a candidate that they "just like". I know many are very disappointed in Shrub, because he turned out to be a person they didn't think he was, and that will help Dems.

I still say, we need a "likable candidate". Dumb as that sounds, it's reality.

[ladjf]

4. You should have heard Feingold's press conference. He was

something very special. He was forthright, quick, concise and intelligent. What a performance!

[undeterred]

5. He is great with questions- you never see him caught off guard

He's not putting on a show like so many politicians- he really is smart and thoughtful and loves the law... he makes you like lawyers.

[catmother]

7. and he's good looking too.

:)

[ladjf]

9. He is clean cut, impressive looking young man. That never

hurts in the TV age.

[ladjf]

8. He was as calm as a cucumber, never ruffled, never hesitated

, and never sounded like he was "tap dancing". It was one of the most impressive press conferences I've ever seen by a professional politician. He was charming like Clinton and honest sounding like Carter, plus some extra things like no one else I've seen. I think he should team up with Gore for the 2008 run. Gore for 4 or 8 years, followed by Feingold for 4 or 8. Those men could lead us out of the abysmal nightmare of greed, cruelty and stupidity.

[Nevernose]

11. Almost makes me wish I had cable

Anywhere on the Internet(s) I could view it that you know of?

[ladjf]

13. I saw it on DU. One of the posters had the link to the press

conference. I saw the clip at about 4:00 this afternoon.

[Nevernose]

10. Clinton's gift was switching between Oxford and Arkansas

He used his Arkansas style to bookend his Oxford points, appealing to the intelligentsia and the "common" person quite well. Personally, though, I think there's a lot more to "the regular guys" than we give credit to. For instance, I am a regular guy:

I pay attention more to the news more than most, maybe, and perhaps even obsessive about my politics, but mostly I'm just a regular schmuck who works a fairly regular job

drinks some beer

watches the crap that passes for TV

raises his kid as best he can

goes camping and hiking on the weekends

spray paints over the graffiti in his neighborhood

take a perverse pride in washing my car thoroughly, albeit irregularly

I've even been to a couple of NASCAR races (the tickets were free), and while not a "fan," still found them interesting

I think killing people, generally speaking, is just plain wrong

Et cetera

[napi21]

12. Yep, that's what I'm talking about. The ability to BE a regular guy.

Or at least make most people believe he is.

Shrub wasn't a regular guy, but he & his promters made people believe he was!

That's STILL a lot of the attraction to Clinton. Even though he admits to being very welthy now, people still view him as "like them".

I like Feingold, and I admire him for being willing to stand on the follr of the SEnate and say what he, and a lot of us, believe, even though he was standing alone.

However, I think the "like me" impression is what keeps most Senators from ever being President. There's a different requirement, in the mind of the people, for someone to be a good Senator v/s a good President.

For some unknow to me reason, people want their President to be their buddy.

[Nevernose]

14. I've gotta disagree with you on "senators" and "buddies"

People who vote for senators in off-season years are, probably, paying slightly more attention. Therefore, the guy running for the presidency has to appeal to a wider range of voters, and also has to stand up to a closer level of scrutiny. Clinton's appeal is that he could be your buddy. You could have a conversation with him regarding the current trade dispute between Palau and American Micronesia and the economic ramifications it would have on South Pacific socioeconomics, or you could debate the consistency of pork ribs versus a well-cooked beef brisket and the proper barbecue sauce for each (sweet and pork = Yankee carpetbagging bastard, spicy east Texas stylt brisket).

Remember, though, we live in interesting times. Faux News and the internet have changed the equation, and America hasn't seen this kind of poitical polarization between parties since the antebellum War Between the States.

[napi21]

15. I love your analsis of Clinton. Best I've ever read!

Sure, the polarization is the worst I've ever seen, and I'm 62! But I still don't think it changes the minds of most people in the way they vote. The extremes on both sides will stick with their candidate no matter what, but most people will still vote for the candidate they LIKE! Every candidate has some positions that every person will find attractive, no matter what the Party. I still don't believe that most people pay enough attention to the issues the candidates talk about, they either like what they see, or not. They feel confortable with the candidate, or not.

Lots of people are very disappointed with Shrub. They didn't get what they thought they saw in him.

Time will tell who the next candidates are, and how well they can communicate with the people.

[mb7588a]

17. Feingold was a rhode's scholar too..

His gift is MIXING Oxford and Wisconsin.

[Hekate]

16. John Edwards in blue jeans getting his hands dirty in NOLA right now

He's leading a group of 600 students on spring break doing clean-up out there. Somehow I don't think it gets much more "regular guy" than that.

Hekate

[col_klink]

18. That's how Bush won in '04

Sad fact that being "one of the guys" is important, but in the TV age it sure is. I think that Sen. Feingold has this quality, not to mention loads of integrity. Granted the '08 Prez primaries are a ways out there, still I like Feingold, and not because of the censure bill.