What grumpy old dudes? Do you measure grumpy as being pro life?
No, I don't measure grumpy as being pro-life. Actually, this doesn't have much to do with policy as presentation.
This is funny coming from me, grumpy old dudette extraordinaire, but too many high-profile Republican officials and pundits are men in their late 60s and early 70s (and they've been in office or on television for 20 or 25 years). At that age, Reagan was still charming and quick on his feet, but these guys sit stone-faced with their arms folded across their chests (bad body language). Some of them have the same bad haircuts (must use the same barber in the Congressional barbershop); and John Boehner looks ridiculous with that spray tan (at the Baltimore caucus retreat, Boehner was darker than Obama!).
In terms of the media, Palin gets it. Brown gets it. You have to be engaging.