A Well Balanced Personality is Best for a Politician

Who can we trust with the welfare of Pennsylvania? I am not sure if it is possible to answer this
question. I do not think that humans have a good sense for making these decisions. It seems to me that
we allow outside emotions get to us instead of voting based on the issues at hand. Although this is
inevitable, we need to have standards. In the upcoming gubernatorial election we need to decide what
it takes to prove they are deserving of the title Governor. To help discuss this point I will be considering
the two men up for the Democratic slot, Bob Casey Jr. and Ed Rendell.

How much charisma, personality, and excitement should each candidate exude to the public? Well,
many would say that Ed Rendell has a way to charm a crowd. On the same token does this prove he
would be a better Governor than Bob Casey Jr. would? It is imperative to have a good balance of the
three above characteristics and right now we are looking at two extremes.

I understand why the public is more attracted to Rendell. He is friendly, out-going, and attempts
to get down to the average persons level. But lets be honest, is a politician really all that close to the
typical Pennsylvanian? I think not. In the article from The Philadelphia Inquirer entitled Rendells twopair-of-shoes line doesnt match six-figure income by Thomas Fitzgerald touches on this point. We
have a politician that has been in the publics eye for quite some time now. I am unable to believe that
he does not live a comfortable life. In this article they quoted Rendell as saying, Ive never made any
money, and I never will, and it never bothered me. I am sorry to hear that, but I do feel that middleclass Pennsylvania is not found at the $600,000 tax bracket, it is more like $30,000-40,000 (Fitzgerald,
2002). Honestly, get real, I know that Rendell is not on my level, and I am sure that most citizens can
gather that too. He may think that much of the public is filled with simpletons, but I feel that most of us
have a brain that is not completely translucent.

I can tell that Ed Rendell is trying to relate to his voters, but the writers of his endorsements
need to give us a break. We can see that he has done a god job with Philadelphia, that is a given. In an
editorial from The Philadelphia Inquirer, Vote for Ed Rendell, the writer uses an analogy to get voters
thinking, Mr. Rendell is too schmoozing corporate leaders what Shaquille ONeal is to dunking a
basketball. Hmm, let me think. Does it make me feel that he is someone like me? Nope, the way I see
it this makes him seem larger than life. The statement is a little extreme. As I was reading this particular
article, I was really starting to like Mr. Rendell until I got to this point. I was very happy thinking that this
man was out on the streets scrubbing bathrooms and eating hoagies with the citizens (Vote for Ed
Rendell, 2002). These statements make him marketable, not Shaquille ONeal.

Bob Casey Jr. on the other hand is quite the opposite. He is quiet, has minimal interactions with
the public, and is known well because of his father. He has not gone out and pressured anyone into to
thinking he is an everyday man, he just is. Casey lives in a humble home in Scranton with his familys
earnings in 2000 being $107, 228 (Fitzgerald, 2002). But is he likeable? This is his main problem. I think
many people see him as being impersonal. He has done his present job as Auditor General, and he has
done it well. Yes, he can get the job done, but as Governor you may need more than a plan, maybe a
personality. He is not going to get the job by sitting around and being dry, he needs to get up and show
Pennsylvania that he wants to be Governor and he will do the job with a little pizzazz. That is how you
get people excited.

Contrary to Rendells endorsements, Caseys endorsements, on a good day, are boring. They
state the facts and that is great, but most people become jaded half way through the text. This making
them move on to the next article, possibly one that is supporting Rendell. How does Casey expect to get
votes when people will directly connect boring articles are equal to a boring governor. Casey needs to
pick up the pace because we all know this primary election is more than just old guy vs. young guy,
one of these two men are bound to be the next Governor of Pennsylvania.

People like to be charmed and they also like to feel they can relate to authority. In the 2000
Annual Review of Political Science, personality in political elections was discussed. Regarding candidates
in political elections, the capacity to form an emotional bond with the public, treated as either a
"charismatic" bond or as a form of "narcissism," either benign or malevolent, (Annu. Rev. of Polit. Sci.
2000). Thus showing that a clear relationship between candidate and voters is essential. More
effectively a positive feeling toward a politician is more favorable. It is possible however to be too
charismatic that could possibly give off a self-seeking or negative feeling to the public.

Personality has a large weight in everyday life, as so in politics. We are a nation that is easily
charmed and one that loves to hate. Personality can make or break someone in the public eye and
neither of these two men has made it.

When considering the leaders of a community, state, or a nation we must pick individuals that have an
evened personality. This is the only way to ensure we get a real individual. Too much zest makes me
feel that the candidate is a fake. Not enough shows me that you do not work well with the public. I
want to see a better balance. In the upcoming gubernatorial election we are faced with a problem,
which is better of the two evils?

Bibliography:
Davies, Dave. 2002. Daily News. Guv Candidates Stands on Key Issues. Philadelphia,
2002.

PA. May 16,

Fitzgerald, Thomas. 2002. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Rendells Two-Pairs-of-ShoesMatch Six Figure Income. Philadelphia, PA. May 15, 2002.

Line Doesnt

Marcus, G.E. 2000. Annual Review of Political Science: Emotions in Politics. Vol. 3, pp. 221-250.
http://80polisci.annualreviews.org.ezproxy.libraries.psu.edu/cgi/content/abstract/.

Vote for Ed Rendell. 2002. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Editorial. Philadelphia, PA. May 12, 2002.