I dunno, xp... you don’t survive in THAT world (dem politics) so long by NOT being a devious old pr*ck.
And maybe not so much him, but the people working for him... he’s paying their salaries, so it’s in THEIR interest to get him elected.
Well we get to the debate are these pols evil geniuses or dumb like some look on the surface. Both sides characterize the opposition with the two characteristics. Maybe they can be both at the same time I don’t know. Your point about the people around them makes them into front men or figureheads. Maybe there is that too and each office holder is a different blend of these characteristics.