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Current Events » in reply to Almost every damn tyrant in human history had "charisma"

So did Alexander Hamilton and John Kennedy.
Mary Anne — (archived)

Are you expecting a coup?

If personal charisma is a quality that will disqualify a person from office because tyrants have possessed it, we might want to reconsider other qualities that tyrants have had as filters to eliminate candidates for office. Management skills, say, or "big picture thinking".

A lot of them have had significantly visible facial hair. Maybe we should select against that. :)

McCain has had his share of interesting friends as well. When one works with the public, one meets and works with all kinds of people.

Politics is famously known as the art of the possible, in which a leader will sacrifice some of what he or she seeks to reach an agreement that brings the adversary closer to his or her position, with the unspoken knowledge that tomorrow is another day to try again. Compromise is required for effective political leadership, the denial of which fact over the last seven years contributes to the mess we are now in. Obama strikes me as a practical man who understands the value of flexibility in politics.

Whoever wins this election will still have to deal with the disparate groups in this country in order to get anything done. A little charisma can grease the wheels, but it will never take the brake off if the people don't want it. So I suggest you pay attention and speak up, or help someone else speak for you. If you're worried about tyranny, the ACLU is always looking for new members. They have this annoying habit of speaking up for the Bill of Rights, no matter who is stepping on it.

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