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Originally Posted by pig
and specifically to the op - things like this situation, or when he started rubbing merkel's shoulders a few years ago, or etc etc etc..why does the image of the idiot resonate so strongly with 'conservative' voters?
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I think it goes back to about 1939 and the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" staring James Stewart.
I think (speculation on my part - some have a problem with that) many modern Republican political leaders see the James Stewart characterization of an affable, sincere, boy scout, wanting to change the world in a naive way...Mr Smith...act is the key to gaining political power.
It has worked in many cases, and smart politicians know the power of a "Mr. Smith" persona even when it is not who they are. For example - The Nixon, and his Peaches speech (show, act, or whatever it was) and then you had Ford and even Ronald Reagan who had it nailed. Most Republican political leaders don't want to come across as too polished or too far removed from "Mr. Smith" values - if it is real or not. Savy voters know when it is real. I doubt Romney has a real shot at getting the nomination, he is too polished. On the other hand Thompson will be able to nail the "Mr. Smith" role to a tee, and has the most realistic shot at this time. I support Huckabee, who happens to be a real "Mr. Smith".