Will likeable mean electable?

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2027&ncid=2027&e=6&u=/chitrib_ts/20040126/ts_chicagotrib/willlikeablemeanelectable

Will likeable mean electable?
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By Kirsten Scharnberg and Jeff Zeleny, Tribune national correspondents

During the introduction of Sen. John Edwards at a middle school here Sunday, a local Democratic leader asked the standing-room-only crowd to think back to 1992, when another eloquent and surging Southern politician spoke from the same stage.

Then, the voters in the room had sensed something special about a little-known governor named Bill Clinton: his flair for connecting with an audience, his talent for making politics personal, his ability to answer impromptu questions on almost any topic. <snip>

<snip>
"If we voted for candidates based on who has the best, most genuine smile," added Diane Dingle, her mother, "he'd be in for sure."
<snip>

Before anyone can raise his potential shortcomings, though, Edwards does it himself. Yes, he tells his audiences, he has only served one term in the U.S. Senate. But if they believe a Washington insider is the best Democrat to challenge Bush, Edwards bluntly encourages them to find another candidate. <snip>

[Old and In the Way]

1. I'll happily support John if he gains the nomination.

A man of character and integrity.

[tjdee]

2. Bush--47% of the vote.

All those people weren't voting for him because of his positions on the issues.

For some reason Americans seem to like affable dummies.
See also: Reagan.

Luckily for us John Edwards is far from a dummy. If his likeable persona gives him points I'm all for that.

[jmaier]

3. If Edwards is nominated then I hope so

Let me preface my comments by saying that 1) I'd readily vote for Edwards in the GE and 2) I do find him likeable.

He's an intelligent, engaging candidate with loads of Southern charm and affability. He has well thought out positions on economic and health care issues.

My concern is that I can discern no issues that he has shown a strong sense of leadership on: he voted for IWR and co-authored the Patriot Act. Yes he voted against the $87b appropriations bill but I find it hard to believe that this vote wasn't heavily influenced by his Presidential run. On GLBT rights he simply has the wrong position. Civil rights is NOT fundamentally an issue to be left to the states.

I'd feel much better about him if he had shown some strong positions in the Senate and if he had some more credibility on foreign policy and national security.

Aside from being smart, charming and Southern, I'm concerned that he isn't a seasoned leader who is able to stand up favorably, with the general electorate, against Bush. Then again, having little to no record might be a good thing. Who knows?

He looks best to me as someone's VP candidate in '04.