I recently read Barry Day’s Open Letter to Ron Paul and it’s really got me thinking. I’m not a political expert by any means and I don’t really know how to win elections. Ron Paul certainly has a history of winning elections.
I remember watching the first Republican debate and coming to the conclusion that Ron Paul is a statesman. He was so calm, patient, relaxed, and thoughtful. He responded to conflict very calmly. His self control was quite impressive. Not many of our government officials nowadays bring the word statesman to mind.
Barry’s post has made me realize that Ron Paul’s tone has been gradually changing during this campaign. After the most recent debate, I came away thinking that Ron Paul is angry. He’s fed up. Many of Ron Paul’s supporters are certainly annoyed about how our government is being run. When Ron Paul articulates that annoyance, it resonates with his supporters. I wonder how it affects undecided voters. Barry used the word strident. It did seem that his message could appear strident, especially to those who have never heard of Ron Paul.
Ron Paul is certainly the best candidate for president I’ve ever seen. I’m just wondering how much a candidate’s tone affects their electability. Paul Graham has postulated that in US presidential elections, the more charismatic candidate wins. Is “relaxed Paul” more charismatic than “intense Paul”?