Click here to subscribe to the Social Conservative Review.

Dear Friends,

The likeability of a presidential candidate is important to both political parties and to the American people. Some of us will vote less on the content of a candidate's character and convictions than whether or not he seems "nice."

The cover story of this week's Time Magazine is titled, "Why They Don't Like Mitt (Romney)." A Los Angeles Times poll last month found Newt Gingrich to be "one of the least likeable candidates." And in a poll reported by the Des Moines Register, Michele Bachmann was rated as the "least likeable" of the Republican presidential candidates.

During one of the 2008 presidential debates, this exchange occurred between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama:

Then-Senator Hillary Clinton was asked about her deficit of "likeability" and joked that the question hurt her feelings but she would "try to go on." The audience laughed and Clinton , looking over at fellow candidate for the Democratic nomination Barack Obama, admitted "he's very likable - I agree with that." "I don't think I'm that bad," Clinton said, smiling. Obama barely looked up from his notes. "You're likeable enough, Hillary," he said.

In one respect, these perceptions are meaningless: Many of us like people for whom we would not vote for President, and support presidential contenders we might not want for neighbors. Moreover, one person's likeability is another's distaste: Subjective impressions about likeability should be far down the list on our electoral criteria.

Character counts far more than likeability. A person can be winsome, charismatic, and funny, and also be a serial adulterer. On the other hand, someone might be socially stiff and a bit awkward and be an exemplar of sterling virtues. Ideally, we want to be able to support someone both pleasant and principled. But should not principle triumph over a ready smile, if it comes to that?

"A vote is like a rifle," wrote Theodore Roosevelt in his autobiography. "Its usefulness depends upon the character of the user." As each of us thinks and prays about our vote in the 2012 primaries and general election, let's bear in mind that our choices will reflect our own character as much as that of those for whom we vote.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

P.S. It's been two months since the military opened its doors to homosexuality. Lt. Col. Bob Maginnis (USA-Ret.) was a member of the 1993 Pentagon team that wrote the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy. In his new paper Looking Back, Looking Forward: Homosexuality and Military Service, Maginnis details how America's armed forces have become a cultural battleground for advancing the radical gay agenda.

 

 

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

Legislation and Policy Proposals

Government Reform

Regulation

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

Health Care

Abstinence

Conscience Protection

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

Homosexuality

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

Bioethics and Biotechnology

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

Stem Cell Research

To read about the latest advances in ethical adult stem cell research, keep up with leading-edge reports from FRC's Dr. David Prentice, click here.

Human Trafficking

Women's Health

Marriage and Family

Adoption

Family Economics

Family Structure

Media

Pornography

Internet

Religion and Public Policy

Religious Liberty

Religion in America

Secularism

International

Israel

International Economy and Family

Religious Persecution

Sharia law -- U.S., foreign

The Courts

Constitutional Issues

Judicial Activism

Other News of Note

Book reviews