Yes, we'd like to elect someone solely on their policy positions and leadership qualities...but we also know there are many intangibles that make someone electable to the general populace.

Like many of you, I'm curious why DeSantis isn't capturing the poll numbers that were expected of him. Yes, it's still early, but it's something that I've been thinking about lately...are there physical and personality issues that are holding him back?

Would he be doing better if he were:
Taller and thinner?
More charismatic?
Didn't have a voice that reminds some people of Kermit the Frog or some other Muppet?

He does come across as a little whiny and wonkish, like that know it all "Atchually" kid you knew (or were) in school but wise people can look past that.

Unfortunately a LOT of voters vote based on likability or other idiotic superficial characteristics so it does matter.

He's not good at speaking off the cuff and is too wooden.

He doesn't have the general southern friendless that Bush had nor does he have the boisterous personality that Trump has. There is nothing to make him stand out much and unfortunately that is what matters most do voters.

Trump and Bush were able to speak to anyone easily because of their personalities and people found them approachable. Desantis just doesn't have that.

GeorgiAg said:

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I like DeSantis. But he does have a weird laugh and makes weird faces sometimes. As far as looks go, he looks fine to me, but I like women so I defer to the ladies on that one.

His campaign so far has been disappointing. Hopefully he crushes a debate or two.

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He will. If people are really open to listening. Sadly, the majority have their minds made up before debates, and are just confirming their preconceived notions on a candidate. Very few are swayed by debates any more IMHO.

IF people actually listen to him versus trump, or anything the dems have to offer, it becomes obvious.

De Santis also has low emotional intelligence, he can't read a room to save his life

As a chick, I think DeSantis is more attractive than Donald when he was in his 40's.


But I would rather have a genuinely smart leader than a hot one (hey Trudeau)

DeSantis is my guy right now. Unfortunately, there are a lot of physical & vocal traits that factor in to winning the general election. He's short. I can't remember the last POTUS that was as short as DeSantis, maybe Truman. He's got a voice that isn't awful, but it's monotone. He comes off as an impatient, "know it all" with just a touch of bully. I can definitely see women not warming up to him.

Probably, because people can be incredibly dumb. We already saw how many wouldn't vote for trump based on his personality and gave us Joe. We know personality, voice and looks have held Cruz back

Yeah, whatever it is with him the sad reality is that an enormous number of people will make their decision based on party line first and superficial items second and policy/character a distant third.

It's why I always try to remind myself, although it's difficult, to not worry about this stuff too much, people are hopeless. I always envision the night following the 2008 election being at someone's apartment with 5 or 6 people talking and one guy proudly announcing he voted for Obama because "he seems cool!"

All I could think was "well, he just cancelled out my vote based on policy and history and research, I guess we should have nominated Fonzie, instead."

How many people voted for Kennedy or Clinton because they were "cool" or had great hair?

We're in an insane asylum, not to be taken seriously.

astro_ag said:

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De Santis also has low emotional intelligence, he can't read a room to save his life

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Which, as we know this, and not policy, is what really matters to a working middle class American

93MarineHorn said:

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DeSantis is my guy right now. Unfortunately, there are a lot of physical & vocal traits that factor in to winning the general election. He's short. I can't remember the last POTUS that was as short as DeSantis, maybe Truman. He's got a voice that isn't awful, but it's monotone. He comes off a bit as an impatient, "know it all" with just a touch of bully. I can definitely see women not warming up to him.

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And again...meanwhile with Biden...he's a creepy handsy old man that gets really awkward around little girls and obviously has dementia.

Face it. 21st century POTUS voting is looks, likeability and charm. Not substance. Not platform. All feels and emotion. Looking at you women voters.

BUT then we have Biden and Dr. Drapes so what do I know?

Fwiw, actual legitimate academic study by reputable psychologists has not been able to demonstrate emotional intelligence exists as a differentiated phenomenon. It is a pop culture terminology but not something science has been able to establish with quality analysis. There's some junk science that purports to identify it, if you want to roll with that.

That being said, there are clearly people with better ability to relate to other human beings, but it is poorly described as a form of intellect. It functions differently.

I dont think there's anything wrong with him physically or his voice. I just think most people have no idea who he is, and if they do its because MSM is trying to paint him as Hitler, like they did to every R presidential candidate since Nixon.

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The guy is one of the most popular elected figures in a battleground state in decades. This "likability" issue is largely a a false narrative by people who were never going to vote for him trying to downplay his success so they don't have to discuss policy.

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Disagree. Running for POTUS is so much more of a beauty contest and how a candidate makes people feel than running for governor.

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And again...meanwhile with Biden...he's a creepy handsy old man that gets really awkward around little girls and obviously has dementia.

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Biden was the anti-Trump candidate. He just needed a pulse. '20 was all about Trump for the voters.

In fact, do you guys really want to win? I strongly suggest we just nominate the hottest woman we can find regardless of any other factors and put her in a bikini. Luckily, most of the hotties are not leftists so we'll have lots to choose from. Even if she's a moron who cares, the president is just a hood ornament these days anyway to be controlled from behind.

Owlagdad said:

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Lol, some guy got elected after schmooozing Christians, while quoting "Two Corinthians ".

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Didn't you know that he doesn't need to ask forgiveness.

MouthBQ98 said:

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He does come across as a little whiny and wonkish, like that know it all "Atchually" kid you knew (or were) in school but wise people can look past that.

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No president will ever be elected due to wise people, because…

V
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Unfortunately a LOT of voters vote based on likability or other idiotic superficial characteristics so it does matter.

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The majority of our population views politics as team sports or student councils on a larger scale. Newsom doesn't scare me because he's smart or has defendable policy positions but because he has nice hair which is more than enough for white liberal housewives.

There was, around 20 years ago a theory that whichever candidate had the better hair would win the female vote. That may sound preposterous but I swear they had data to back that up. The only thing I can say is I think his hair is pretty 'good' but I am a bit hesitant to think it matters anymore.

Joe Biden's pathetic bald comb over and hair plants vs. DJT's orange dye job didn't really make a difference, imho.

It's unfortunate but sadly you are 100% correct that many people put no more than superficial thought into how to cast their votes . I wish there was a way to change that but I don't have a clue how.

93MarineHorn said:

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DeSantis is my guy right now. Unfortunately, there are a lot of physical & vocal traits that factor in to winning the general election. He's short. I can't remember the last POTUS that was as short as DeSantis, maybe Truman. He's got a voice that isn't awful, but it's monotone. He comes off as an impatient, "know it all" with just a touch of bully. I can definitely see women not warming up to him.

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I looked it up. DeSantis is listed at 5'11" and Biden and George W. Bush are listed at 6'0". Where are you getting that DeSantis is so short from?

He sounds like Gore explaining his lockbox in many instances. Except in addition to boring he also sounds whiny.

If you are going to win people over in the general with very conservative policies you need some charisma and be a great motivator.

He still has time to improve on that but thus far nothing has changed.

While obviously someone with a high IQ he is someone currently that the left can easily Palin ize with a just a few effective comedy skits.

93MarineHorn said:

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And again...meanwhile with Biden...he's a creepy handsy old man that gets really awkward around little girls and obviously has dementia.

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Biden was the anti-Trump candidate. He just needed a pulse. '20 was all about Trump for the voters.

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Trump was anti Hillary candidate. Last mofo I ever thought I would vote for. Disliked him for years. Still do. But voted for him twice.

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I looked it up. DeSantis is listed at 5'11" and Biden and George W. Bush are listed at 6'0". Where are you getting that DeSantis is so short from?

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Yeah, I was wrong about his height. He looks shorter to me than he really is.

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93MarineHorn said:
Biden was the anti-Trump candidate. He just needed a pulse. '20 was all about Trump for the voters.

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Trump was anti Hillary candidate. Last mofo I ever thought I would vote for. Disliked him for years. Still do. But voted for him twice.

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Good point. Trump & Biden don't fit the mold of successful candidates because they were both the anti-candidate.

Big Ron is talented he's a much better executive than he is a politician. He needed Trump so he could even win the governorship of Florida then he ran it well and it got more conservative in this you have a match made in heaven.

Because he's not very sellable in his personal skills on the podium he needs help unless he has gotten in bed with the big establishment Republican party who needs somebody they could control and Ron has decided to go that direction at least he has so far and that's not what we need.

Joe Biden never has gotten close to the number he got in the election those numbers are very fictitious by the millions there were millions of votes that were fake and
Biden didn't have any charisma nobody could even show up to anything and he's a bad manager

I've told people this many times Trump had 50 60 70,000 people showing up to many rallies every day multiple times a day at times. People come to the voting booth for love more than they come to reject the person they hate. Most people just don't care

Yes some people will come vote against Trump as their civic duty since they show up to the podium. But that's never as strong as the people to show up to vote for people they love. Good looking Kari is in the same boat. She won by a lot. They had to cheat

Trump destroyed Hillary
Hillary got less votes than Obama and she was much more popular than Biden. Biden destroyed both of them by what 14 15 million votes on Obama who was very popular. Trump was a very good president at least until the covid year we're not sure yet how he handled that. Trump got 15 more million more votes than he did the previous time and that's even with the left cheating. Trump had more people attending the rallies more people loving him going into the 2020 presidential election. Trump got 46% of the Latino vote and 26% of the black vote that was 50% better than the previous election. That's why despite the cheat they had the stuff ballots at the end because he beat even what their computer said he would beat. Well prove it Daddy. Statistics prove it and that's better than I witness or paid off judges or paid off governors.
Statistics are more accurate than just about anything.

We've already established and seen evidence that the FBI and CIA and the media are not just deceivers but they also have conspired to change elections and to attack people falsely with arrest maybe that's why the other races are voting for Trump so hard compared to any other Republican we've had at least in 60 years. He dominates the working class white vote who has always traditionally been Democrat , they love him. That's why no matter what elitist college graduates Republicans think who want the establishment it won't matter what they vote for with Ron it's the working class white folks that are going to dominate pulling that lever for the orange man.

He's charismatic and inadvertently he reminds people of George Washington because he will rebirth this nation as a super tall president who is battling for them.
Who speaks and when he speaks the stick comes Teddy.

DD88 said:

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Owlagdad said:

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Lol, some guy got elected after schmooozing Christians, while quoting "Two Corinthians ".

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Didn't you know that he doesn't need to ask forgiveness.

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I forgot how bad that one was