There seems to be a national consensus that President Bush has a
better personality than his former opponent, Sen. John Kerry. But
voters were so focused on personality and political spin that many
important questions about Bush and his real goals were left
unanswered. He slid into home with many of his supporters voting
against their own best interests.
In California, there was a similar situation when it came to the
ballot measures. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger got his way on all but
one proposition.
His dire warning that Proposition 66 would release tens of
thousands of violent criminals and his prediction that Proposition
72 would drive businesses out of California seemed to work. Voters
believed the Governator’s TV ads and radio clips.
It’s impossible to say exactly how much impact a strong
personality has on voters, but it is clear that the media gobbles
it up ““ and helps amplify it.
Several sources reported on a Bass Beer poll asking 229 New York
City pubgoers who they would rather have a beer with. Forty-three
percent of respondents said Bush and 25 percent said Kerry.
The Bass Beer poll obviously isn’t a serious tool for
analysis, but it does show that even a mostly democratic crowd just
wasn’t impressed by John Kerry the person ““ and it
spread across the Internet as rapidly as any report.
The lack of interest people had in Kerry can’t be blamed
on a lack of experience or credentials on his part: He has been a
U.S. senator for 20 years. According to the Bush campaign itself,
Kerry set a strongly liberal course during that entire career. And
Kerry was a decorated Vietnam veteran, even if he disagreed with
that war upon his return to the United States.
So how could so serious a leader lose to the simple quick-draw
Bush?
Part of the answer undoubtedly has to do with the moral war that
was fought during this election cycle. Bush and his campaign team
managed to make gay marriage, abortion and faith major issues for
the electorate.
Bush’s team was equally adept at creating the persona of a
strong, steady, faithful leader for their candidate.
But a careful look at Bush’s past might speak otherwise
““ Bush was an admitted alcoholic, a C-student and a
businessman with a less-than-stellar record. He spent his limited
time in the National Guard flying over the scenic Texas plains.
While its hard to measure, Bush’s public personality
undoubtedly played a role in his re-election. When he was courting
major donors, the truth came out: “What an impressive crowd:
the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite; I
call you my base.”
But most of the time he was a simple Texas cowboy.
Individual voters can’t rely on the national media to
report on the true character and goals of politicians. Between the
political spin doctors and the difficulty of reporting the whole
picture, the media is too often left one step behind.
Voters must take a hard look at candidates and learn to educate
themselves. It takes work to understand the serious issues.