He's a great guy, that is obvious to those of us who follow the issues. He needs to reach the average Joe and Jan SixPack who don't...and I believe they respond to a happy, self-assured person.
rd.
However... As one who has experienced the everyday disheartening experience of being an elected and having to sit through endless hours of meetings with negative bureaucrats AND even negative constituents with nothing but liberal bullchit on their lips... it can subconsciously destroy your good "posittude," dude!!!
You get so outraged, day after day and are constantly wondering why the rational conservative base that supported you in the election campaign don't show up during the dreary proceedings of the process. So, you go out and make a speech to try to "wake them up" by describing the outrageous reality and all that happens is that you discourage them, instead.
You are coached to "keep telling 'em how great things are going to be if they elect/re-elect you" and all the while, you know you aren't Bill Clinton and honestly have a hard time throwing that "smile switch" back on through compartmentalism. But you must!!!
If you don't, you're just throwing the "Oh Chit" switch in people's minds and it works against you, BIG TIME!!!
Niaevety(sp) can be a huge help the first time you run for office. Experience can be a killer to being a good campaigner, unless you're a good actor and constantly remember theatric techniques and to use them to win.
Knowing the truth of the situation can really fatigue a person and is intensely hard to conceal from the voters. Just ask George Herbert Walker Bush about how he kept looking at his watch in his debate with Perot and Clinton!!!
Little things mean a lot, especially when you're under the pressure of TV cameras and even the people conducting the debate are posing loaded, slanted questions.