Why do people want someone "normal" to be President?

[Moiraine]

This topic isn't solely about this election. This seems to have always been the case. I've often heard it stated that the person who becomes President is the nominee people are most able to see themselves enjoying a beer with. That's certainly the case with this election. I voted for Clinton, but I can't see shooting the sh#t with her not being awkward. On the other hand I feel like it would be easy to talk to Trump. This isn't to say that the smart person always loses. Sometimes the winner is smarter and at the same time better at being "one of the guys."

But I wonder why this is. I want someone smarter and better than me to be President. I don't really care if they're personable as long as most of their views would make the country better (in my opinion).

The answer is probably because if someone seems normal, they're more likely to understand the average person's problems. But I feel like too often we put way too much weight solely on this one thing.

[NM11046]

And, everybody's definition of "normal" is quite different.

 

Just like I'd want the most focused, capable, trained, efficient, detail oriented surgeon, to perform surgery on me. Not the one I can talk to easily - the nurse in the recovery room can talk and be nice to me. I don't care if an airline pilot is polite ... I need him to be good at his job, safety conscious and on alert - the steward/and stewardess can make me feel more comfortable.

 

I don't care about our president being relatable - we simply don't get that along with skills that the office requires that often (Obama was a unicorn). They hire people around them to be the communicators with the public, to remind them of the real world view and guide them when they're off track.

 

Anybody who thinks Trump is relatable hasn't seen his gold toilet or been delayed at La Guardia because one (yes ONE) of his planes is using a runway. Sh*t, the guy is already trying to negotiate how many nights he has to stay in the White House vs. his NYC digs ... who would ope out of the White House? Is that really slumming it?

[Moiraine]

And, everybody's definition of "normal" is quite different.

 

Just like I'd want the most focused, capable, trained, efficient, detail oriented surgeon, to perform surgery on me. Not the one I can talk to easily - the nurse in the recovery room can talk and be nice to me. I don't care if an airline pilot is polite ... I need him to be good at his job, safety conscious and on alert - the steward/and stewardess can make me feel more comfortable.

 

I don't care about our president being relatable - we simply don't get that along with skills that the office requires that often (Obama was a unicorn). They hire people around them to be the communicators with the public, to remind them of the real world view and guide them when they're off track.

 

Anybody who thinks Trump is relatable hasn't seen his gold toilet or been delayed at La Guardia because one (yes ONE) of his planes is using a runway. Sh*t, the guy is already trying to negotiate how many nights he has to stay in the White House vs. his NYC digs ... who would ope out of the White House? Is that really slumming it?

 

 

He's really good at coming off as relatable though.

[NM11046]

Cuz he wears a ball cap and "tells it like it is?"

[NM11046]

Or because he grabs women?

[The Dude]

I think W embodied this. Bill Clinton had it. Trump has it. McCain had it, but had the misfortune to run against a guy with once-in-a-generation charisma.

 

Definitely overvalued by the electorate. I have to imagine the average voter only has a basic understanding on policies, so it kind of becomes a popularity contest.

[Moiraine]

I think W embodied this. Bill Clinton had it. Trump has it. McCain had it, but had the misfortune to run against a guy with once-in-a-generation charisma.

 

Definitely overvalued by the electorate. I have to imagine the average voter only has a basic understanding on policies, so it kind of becomes a popularity contest.

 

 

Agree with McCain. He just didn't "have it" as much as Obama did and his age didn't help him. Bush won by a landslide in this regard against Gore and Kerry. He just seemed/seems like a fun guy to be around.

[zoogs]

Spot on, Dude.

 

Related question: do we care about "balance" a lot, in terms of balancing out the two parties in our government, and is that important?

[84HuskerLaw]

Hillary Clinton is smarter than many, perhaps even most, "average" folks but who would most people consider 'average' is another matter. There is a tendency by many, I suspect, to assume that those who end up in positions of being legitimate candidates for President are quite exceptional in many ways, especially in terms of intelligence. This assumption may not be all that accurate frankly. I would not be surprised to find, were I to take the time and effort to research it, that nearly every Presidential candidate has attended some 'elite' college after having grown up and rubbed elbows with other 'elites'. Not all but the great majority of the most successful as measured by how far up the political and social ladder they have climbed are academic scholars of some merit.

 

Bill Clinton, for example, was a Rhodes scholar if I recall correctly. In terms of pure academic intellect, I have little doubt that he is in the top percentile. Same would be true for nearly all the judges who would up on the Supreme Courts, serving as Governors and Senators and Congressmen, etc. But there are many many smart people in the world. Most never become famous and become household names/faces.

 

But there are many people who are just as smart whose careers take them down completely different paths such as plumbers, artists, dentists, cab drivers, cowboys, etc etc. There is great wisdom to be found in many not so obvious places throughout our society. It takes more than just 'book smarts' which Hillary may have and Bill certainly had in abundance to become a good President of the United States and a leader of the free world. In my view, much more important than smarts are other character traits such as leadership, compassion, understanding, a capacity to see the 'big picture' and worldly experiences that allow for a deep understanding of social, political, economic, business and other cultural conditions. The ability to think clearly under pressure and to keep perspective and be willing to work extremely hard over a long period of time are essential as well.

 

Luck plays a big role as a successful candidate has to be in the right place at the right time in order to even have a chance. An almost unhealthy dose of ambition and competitiveness will be present in every candidate. Finally, an acute awareness of one's own limitations and knowing when to ask for help and guidance and the courage to be able to accept and follow in the right cases will be present for the most successful Presidents. This is probably the one area where Hillary came up short as it appears she is unwilling to listen as she seemingly believes she is smarter than everyone else and is therefore infallable. Obviously, she is far from it as evidenced by her many scandals and political predicaments that led to her lies and other deceptive schemes to cover for her shortcomings and lapses of judgment. Whether criminal or not, Hillary Clinton simply could not resist involvement in activities hazardous to her political health. Greed and lust for power and money were at the heart of nearly everything the Clintons did and Hillary, more than Bill, couldn't resist temptations. From Arkansas land deals to livestock futures insider trading to the Clinton Fund raising, to multimillion dollar book deals and foreign donations and speaking 'fees' (bribes by any reasonable definition, Hillary was motivated by acquiring money more than anything altruistic. Their public affairs were always described as public minded but deep down they were all about making money and living the life of royalty, no matter who had to suffer and how much carnage was left behind in their wake.

 

I don't consider Hillary all that smart, ultimately, though she was capable of delivering a good speech about the most uplifting and socially beneficial subjects. In the end, the success or failure of a President is measured not by their speech giving prowess but rather by the results of their leadership and impact on society. Bill Clinton accomplished a number of good things as President but his most lasting legacy was the disrespect he brought to our country with respect to the rule of law and the truth. Lying under oath was 'perjury' before Bill Clinton but became nothing more than 'normal' behavior after. Hillary took lying to unpredented new 'heights' and this was her downfall. Despite her book smarts, she behaved stupidly.

[zoogs]

Does Donald Trump's uncommon honesty make up for his lack of book smarts, would you say?

[BigRedBuster]

What "uncommon honesty" are you talking about?

[NUance]

I want someone smarter and better than me to be President. I don't really care if they're personable as long as most of their views would make the country better (in my opinion).

 

I agree wholeheartedly with this. I did not vote for Hillary or The Don. +1

[Bigred_inSD]

I thought Obama was a common man with how he wasn't afraid to show emotion, after Sandy Hook I remember holding my 4 month old and having tears. Seeing Obama also be visibly shaken didn't come of as weak but a man who truly cares. Also how he reacted to children and the candid White House photos.

 

Trump we will see. A guy who got a "small million dollar loan" doesn't realate to me, and he doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor. We will see how it shakes out.

[FrankWheeler]

Are you calling Trump normal?