For candidates, congeniality is important ingredient
For anyone interested in politics, Monday’s Iowa caucus had all
the ingredients of a Hollywood blockbuster. Just like a Hollywood
star, the public image of a presidential candidate is what makes or
breaks their efforts to win the people over.
Presidential elections are by their very nature melodramatic
affairs. This caucus, because of its high number of viable
contenders, proved to be no exception.
The drama was mellow until the underdogs entered the foray. When
this happened, the momentum of the perceived leaders evaporated
and, going into the night of the caucus, the race was a statistical
dead heat. After the dust cleared, one candidate found himself
ruined, another ruined himself and the two champions were left
basking in limelight sweetened with the blood of their rivals.
The candidates in Iowa provide us with three different extremes
of cool. Sen. John Kerry and Sen. John Edwards, the two winners,
with Kerry finishing first and Edwards placing second, both
exemplify a significant degree of affability. Howard Dean, the
third place finisher, tried in his campaign to peddle a
fa�ade of patience. The real Howard Dean unveiled himself
for all to see in a speech after learning the results.
After his now-infamous tirade naming of all 93 states in
alphabetical order followed by a “Yeeeaaaaa(crap),” his critics who
labeled him as an angry, angry man were drowned out by the masses
who now joined in their disquieting opinion. Dean’s public meltdown
in the wake of his upset is almost unprecedented in American
politics and will almost certainly define and demolish the rest of
his campaign.
Edwards and Kerry, both warmhearted and likable, won votes in
the caucus because of their human appeal. Edwards plays the
easy-going southern gentleman role well, as Kerry play the role of
patriotic veteran. They won Iowa not because of their message or
their organization or their funding. Kerry and Edwards won Iowa
because in an open ballot election such as a caucus, voters felt no
shame standing up and voting for them in front of their friends and
neighbors.
Kerry and Edwards are cool guys. So, while Dean is behind closed
doors beating his head against a wall and yelling “SERENITY NOW!”,
Kerry and Edwards have achieved serenity and built momentum simply
by being personable.
Howard Dean is cool, too, and so is brushing your teeth with
Preparation-H. When the two jovial Johns usurped the tyrannical
pack leader, he tried to appear un-phased by his defeat and instead
came across as borderline psychotic.
Rep. Dick Gephardt brings up the rear of the pack. An anomaly
only because of his astonishingly ordinary nature, I feel bad for
Dick because I think he was probably the nicest and most genuine
candidate in the race. Unfortunately, Gephadt might be the most
boring man ever elected to public office, not to mention to run for
President.
Even Al Gore, who is as charismatic as a bologna sandwich, made
out with his wife at the Democratic National Convention during his
run in 2000. While as disgusting a display as it was, the indecent
incident humanized Gore and made him more than the political robot
his critics contended he was. If Gephardt could have brought the
same passion to his campaign that he displayed in Tuesday’s
concession speech, I think he would have been unbeatable.
An important life lesson can be learned from this spectacle:
congeniality is the most important ingredient one can possess in
any situation where character comes into play. Be it applying for a
job, confronting a problem or meeting a lover’s parents, the
endeavor is always more successful when approached and navigated
with a calm and collected composure. At the same time a little
flare is also important, but a visible fire is too often too
much.
Joe is a senior majoring in history. His column runs weekly on
Thursday.
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