Florida Primaries

That stuff means a lot -- and it should. Politics is about connecting with people, because they want to know you care about them and their problems. And that you maybe even understand them. And that you can stand the sight of them for at least four years. Plus, you have to show you have the personality to deal with people, because you're going to be doing a lot of it in order to get your agenda through. Despite what many seem to think, people are running for president, not dictator.

One of the most brilliant gladhandlers I ever saw was William Hudnut, who was a longtime mayor of Indianapolis, and really got the ball rolling for a lot of stuff you'll see in downtown Indianapolis Super Bowl weekend. Of course, gladhandling isn't everything, because when Hudnut tried to become Secretary of State, he was beaten -- even in Indianapolis -- by Evan Bayh.

 

Yes, I don't find it comforting to know that Mitt paid less than half the percentage of taxes I paid last year on far less money.

 

The hilarious part of this is that Gingrich gets to cast himself as the "working man." He made $300K a year from Fannie/Freddie and who knows how much from his various speeches and other endeavors. Most likely he is well into the seven figures as well.

Everyman.

 

Mitt's biggest problem is that he is not good with connecting with people.

 

A stiff with no social feel for normal people in the Great Middle.

Daddy had much the same problem.

 

I bet his conversion record as a missionary was not too good.

 

Actually the total of Newt's payments from Fannie/Freddie come to somewhere close to $2 million (although amazingly and utterly shockingly a couple years of those contracts appear to be "lost" so the actual amounts are unclear).

No evidence as yet that he actually did any work for this money. Apparently the big boys in Fannie/Freddie just decided, "let's give Newt Gingrich a few hundred thou a year, why not?"

 

I would not only not want to kill myself, I would not want to kill W. I would associate his presidency with my good fortune in being able to sleep with an alien from V while getting side action on the side from some crazy-ass blonde. Screw "two cars in every garage and a chicken in every pot," if Bush could deliver that to every American male, he'd be elected Supreme Ruler for Life.

 

That must've been one damn fun history lesson.

 

SportsJournalists.com at its best.

 

There was an documentary on the 2000 campaign where some female political reporter who was talking about how she had always been a democrat and how she was a huge Clinton fan and she interviewed both Gore and Bush and when she came off of Bush's bus, she was gushing over what a great guy he was and when she came off Gore's bus, she pretended to gag.

That was the democrats' biggest problem in two elections, but it looks to be the republican's biggest problem this time...

 

You're correct about W. I've heard that over and over again - about how remarkable he was at remembering people's names. Seems like a great skill to have in the world. I always feel like no one remembers my name, and I'm always flattered when someone does. He realizes this. I'd say it was his business background, but obviously Romney doesn't have the same knack.

Clinton and W. both could work a room like nobody's business. Obama, too, to an extent.