<Among public figures, Tom, and especially among politicians, one kind of intelligence is prized above all others: rhetorical intelligence. The ability to communicate with a broad range of people.

Don't confuse communication with persuasion. There are a wide variety of politicians who are able to stand in front of an audience and have them in their back pocket in minutes. This is not necessarily communication--passing useful information--but simply a selling job. Half-truths, lies, and downright poisonous lies work just as well in this case as positive and truthful statements.

Adolf Hitler was a master "communicator" by the political definition. This is not always a good thing.

I prefer a moral and effective leader who stutters, or can't pick the right word quickly from his vocabulary. Unfortunately, I'm probably in the minority.

Heck, I probably fall into that category of spastic speakers. Anyone can communicate skillfully on a keyboard where one can take time to formulate sentences and thoughts, and correct one's spelling.

You are correct that the glib have a major political advantage in a world where actual thinking is not as common as it could be in the voters. The ideal, of course, would be a skilled public speaker who was also a moral and effective leader. Obviously, the two need not be mutually exclusive. I like to think a lot of our Presidents have fallen into that category, Reagan being, of course, a personal favorite of mine. I'm sure you have favorites of your own.

Clinton was a sleazebag with a lot of "rhetorical intelligence." Bush seems to be almost a "negative" of him, with difficulties in impressing an audience, but a stable moral base. Only wish his philosophical base was equally strong.