Trump is entertainer-in-chief, and CEO of any room he's in. He's got energy and he's a charmer. He can talk for hours as long as the subject is Trump. People could not care less if what he says isn't so. They just enjoy the show.
Carson is the best guy in the field to have as a next-door neighbor. He's a gentleman and easy to like. President? Please!
Rubio, Cruz, and Fiorina occupy the “soul of an undertaker” wing of the GOP field.
Rubio has been kissing up to people with money for so long that the look of obsequiousness is permanently etched into his face. He's a mile wide and a quarter inch deep.
Cruz is deeply in love with his own brain. Fiorina is brilliant, but an ice-maiden. If she could tell a funny, self-effacing story, she'd have a shot at catching fire.
Kasich, Bush, and Christie occupy the human being wing of the Republican field. Kasich is the sitting governor of Ohio. Bush served eight years as governor of Florida. Christie is the sitting governor of New Jersey.
People go to the Senate to learn how to become jerks. Most succeed. Cruz and Rubio certainly have.
Obama got out in the nick of time. Early in his short Senate stint, Obama attended a Foreign Relations Committee Hearing. A fellow Senator asked a long, incomprehensible question to a verbose, semi-coherent witness. Obama scribbled a note on a piece of paper and handed it to a staff member. The note said, “Please shoot me.”
Governors don't have time for navel-gazing or practicing “sincerity” in front of the mirror. Governors go to the funerals of state policemen killed in the line of duty. They deal with natural disasters, homelessness, and employee unions. If they don't get humanized in the process, they don't survive. Empathy with other human beings is part of the job description.
In the debate, Bush did what he had to do to stay alive. It helped that he wore a suit that fit and, for the most part, got rid of his semi-apologetic body language. Kasich looks and is tough. He's not afraid to mix it up with anyone. Christie has charisma and still has a puncher's chance.
Rand Paul is the answer to the question nobody is asking. He's the kind of guy who would show up at a Thanksgiving dinner and speak for forty-five minutes on unidentified flying objects. He's got nothing, and he's going nowhere. Say goodnight, Rand.
Conclusion
If you look at every Presidential race since Reagan beat Carter in 1980, the more likeable person usually won.
The most likeable candidates in the GOP field are Trump, Carson, and the three governors, Kasich, Bush, and Christie.
Carson is disqualified because of a complete disinterest in the details of governing. Trump's record of outlandish claims and assertions would seem to be disqualifying … but Trump is Trump, and he could shock everybody. People like him.
The pick of the litter for Republicans, in my opinion, is John Kasich. He's tough, smart, and fair, and he's not afraid of hard work. He would be capable of making inroads in traditional Democratic constituencies like Reagan did.
Plus, he could carry his home state of Ohio.
I will post again on Thursday December 3, 2015 or before if the news flow dictates.
Comments are welcome at tomc[at]wednesdayswars[dot]com. Comments will be addressed in subsequent posts.