You may have a point. Reagan was undeniably charismatic. He left his mark. Whether or not you liked his policies -- I did not -- he left footprints in the sand. For that he deserves credit.

IMO it is way too soon to judge Obama. I think he will be remembered among the great ones. He's no Jimmy Carter.


>Hahaha....the most charismatic? The man who lives and dies by teleprompter? Try Reagan for true charisma...
>
>So, anyhow, what does charisma get you? I'm thinking back to the best and worst presidents of all time and I don't see charisma as high on the list of qualities worth a doggone. Charisma works great with authoritarians and they need it in bunches. Let's take a look, Mike:
>
>Charismatic: Teddy Roosevelt. John Kennedy, Reagan, Herbert Hoover, Andrew Jackson, McKinley, Garfield, maybe FDR.
>
>Non-charismatic (wallflowers): Washington, Monroe, Lincoln, JQ Adams, Taft, Wilson, Coolidge, Truman, Bush (Sr), Fillmore.
>
>On the whole, I think the scale tips towards the wallflowers.
>
>>I agree that his being (half) black helped him. But if you think that's all it is you are underestimating him. He is the most charismatic leader we have had in 50 years. He has given millions of people a reason to give a damn again.
>>
>>>I completely agree. Given his rather thin resume, it is the sine qua non of his becoming President (as Bush's family connection was his and all the Kennedy boys' success and - in one case, at least - their avoidance of criminal prosecution)
>>>
>>>> And too bad he's black. That's the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Some will shrug that off as easily as the last mosquito of summer but IMO it's the heart of the matter. (Phrase stolen from the master).
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>And I will give "community organizers" a fair hearing once they become my President <s>
>>>>>
>>>>>(and repeat my prediction that it is the Left that will make him look bad, not the Right)
>>>>>
>>>>>>I will take an open minded approach to ACORN. Fair enough?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Considering Acorn had a big contract with the Census, played a prominent roll in petitioning for the President and was the beneficiary of a great deal of tax-payer largesse, I'm not sure they get a pass as "the weak"
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Besides, it is well known that "community organizer" is a vital stepping-stone to the Presidency <s>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I am not an unalloyed Michael Moore fan. But he serves a purpose. The difference IMO is he takes on big targets. Any idiot can prey on the weak.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Rather an odd take it for someone who is a Michael Moore fan.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>I am not trying to shift blame and have said from the start of this discussion that I don't defend the ACORN employees/volunteers involved. My response was to Kevin's post saying, in so many words, that this proves ACORN is worthless. IMO it reveals at least as much about the Gotcha videotapers as is does about ACORN as an organization.