2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumA personable president?
Some years back, after Bill Clinton was elected, a knowledgeable and a political savvy man told me that we, Americans, like our president to be personable.
This, to me, explained why Reagan was considered a good president. Never mind what we think - ushering the age of merger and acquisition, making the religious wrong an important political factor. He had a sunny disposition, smiling, his "the city on the hill," etc.
It also explained why many turned away from sour and dour Pat Buchanan and Bob Dole, and why many were charmed, at least for a while, with Steve Forbes with his goofy smile.
Thus, I am finding it hard to see how many are drawn to angry Sanders and Trump.
But then again, this was during the 90s, before the social media and 24 hr news cycle that inflame and magnify everything.
Still, I hope that running a positive campaign will win over an angry one. That pointing the things that are good in our country will win over pointing how bad things are.
What is good? Look at all the refugees, look at the massacres in Asia and in Africa, all the misery across the globe that we don't hear from the regular news since they are all about American politics. Different topic.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)question everything
(47,483 posts)Just look at the hateful posts here
Avalux
(35,015 posts)It's always amusing when hate is used to accuse others of hate.
unc70
(6,114 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,714 posts)She comes across as preachy and condescending. But since I will never have a beer with any president, I don't care how "personable" any of them are. Trump isn't angry; he's a phony cynic who just stirs up anger in other people. Bernie is genuinely angry because there's a damn good reason to be angry. I don't want anyone to smile and offer me a beer and then piss on my feet and tell me it's raining.
choie
(4,111 posts)More important to have a president with whom you'd like to have a beer than one who tells you the hard truth.