Ezra Klein: Charisma

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May 17, 2007

Charisma

Matt writes, "I also got a chance to talk to Richardson a bit before the speech and, of course, the trick with something like that is that almost all even moderately successful politicians are pretty charismatic, but nonetheless he seemed very impressive."

You know, I'm often struck by how untrue that is. Meet Gray Davis, for instance, and you're unlikely to be blown away. Gary Hart is brilliant, but not very charismatic. And the average Congresscritter can be downright unimpressive. This is, in part, because safe districts tend to get decided on party nominations, and who gets a party's nomination has a lot more to do with workhorse, record, and personal favors than it does with magnetism. But I always find uncharismatic politicians surprising nevertheless.

May 17, 2007 | Permalink

Comments

I've only found Richardson very effective in interviews or limited settings. He can sometimes summon a relaxed demeanor that's really very compelling up, as I thought he did when he began telling a story about negotiating with Saddam Hussein on "The Daily Show", but is not really exceptional as a speaker in general.

Posted by: Paludicola | May 17, 2007 1:06:11 PM

I don't expect to find serious charisma widely spread, but I'm baffled at how many politicians are simply bad public speakers. As a longtime player of roleplaying games both tabletop and computerized, I find this shows reality has a poor game engine: there ought to be more visible benefits from accumulated experience.

Posted by: Bruce Baugh | May 17, 2007 1:35:11 PM

I met Bob Taft once in a non-political situation and I was struck by just how uncharismatic the man was in person -- very awkward around people, unable to really carry on a conversation, just an all-around uncomfortable experience. Later on, in a political situation I watched him behave in exactly the same way. No charisma, no insightful thoughts, no deep policy ideas -- there was nothing about the man that said "leadership" in any way.

Yet he was a two-term governor of Ohio. A testament to the Ohio GOP machine and to the Taft family name I suppose. But I'm never terribly surprised to find out that politicians aren't charismatic anymore.

Posted by: NonyNony | May 17, 2007 1:52:13 PM

I've seen Richardson work a living room in New Hampshire. He was godawful. Of course, I saw it on CSPAN, so perhaps his goofy jokes and awkward speaking style just doesn't translate to TV.

Posted by: Clark | May 17, 2007 2:03:36 PM

Gray Davis' lack of charisma is legendary in California, and it's a big part of why he was recalled.

Posted by: aphrael | May 17, 2007 2:55:57 PM

I gave Bill a fundraiser at my DC home 20 years ago and got a chance for an hour-long one-on-one with Bill [who dated my wife while they were both at Tufts] after the festivities and schmoozing.

He was a serious, thoughtful person who before running for Congress had been a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Cte., which doesn't hire slow-pokes or dunces. The other staffers jeered [my wife was a Senate legislative asst for Sarbanes at the time], but Bill reached lift-off.

In our conversation, Bill tempered his great intellect with down-home wit and amazing common sense, not in great supply among the Democratic candidates [nor the Repubs, for that matter]. We kept in touch until I moved south a dozen years ago and am now reading his excellent autobiography.

I lean rightward now, but Bill versus almost all the Repubs would cause me to pull the lever [or punch the butterfly] for the Dem Prez candidate.

Posted by: daveinboca | May 17, 2007 3:39:03 PM

I'm disappointed this item isn't about Charisma Carpenter.

Posted by: DonBoy | May 17, 2007 4:48:34 PM

Those who met her said that Sharon Davis, Gray's wife, was quite charismatic. Go figure.

Posted by: Gene O'Grady | May 17, 2007 6:18:27 PM

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