In the presidential elections in the United States of America (USA), once the charisma of the candidate was not so important. But, in the era of electronic media and social networks, whether a candidate can individually connect with voters - can be decisive whether he will sit in the White House, writes the Voice of America.
The visual generation began with photogenic Democrat John F. Kennedy defeating unglamorous Republican Richard Nixon in the 1960 election. Nixon, however, was elected eight years later, defeating the Democratic candidate, the monotonous Hubert Humphrey.
Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016 is partly attributed by political analysts to Clinton's failure to connect with voters, despite her experience as first lady, senator and secretary of state.
"That was my problem with many voters: I skipped showing strong emotions and went right to solving the problem," Clinton wrote in the book "What Happened".
Academic research from 2015 shows that a presidential candidate's charisma and economic situation influence whether he will be elected.
The way President Joseph Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump communicated directly with voters helped them get elected.
After the speech, Biden sometimes walks into the crowd, posing for selfies and hugging people.
Trump, on the other hand, has a signature entrance on stage with thumbs up, fist pump and dance moves to the 1978 hit "YMCA."
He often boasts of a deep connection with his supporters.
"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose a single voter," Trump said at a January 2016 campaign rally in Iowa.
Trump didn't shoot, but he faces indictments for various crimes committed before, during and after his tenure - which would be a career killer for any conventional politician.
But polls show Trump still has a wide lead over his Republican rivals for the 2024 presidential nomination.
For those who study leadership, charisma is more than televangelism. Successful politicians excel at messaging.
"You feel as if you are one of them, and they are one of you. Creating a collective identity, values - all these items can be realized if you shape the message well, and convey it in an engaging way," says Urlih Jensen from the School of Relations with public at the University of Arizona, who researched the relationship between American governors and voters during the covid pandemic.
By shaking hands, gesticulating and repeating key phrases, presidential candidates try to reach as large a group of voters as possible, says Stephen Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media at the University of Mary Washington.
"Most people will never meet the candidates, but will decide based on what they see in the media, which candidate they like better."
Opponents of Trump and Biden, says Farnsworth, can learn from them about communication.
"You have to be honest. With these two men, you can see that they are who they are," says the professor of political science.
It is the perception of inauthenticity that casts a shadow over the campaign of Florida Governor Ron Desantis, the candidate who was believed to be able to dethrone Trump.
Some politicians can't learn to be authentic, but they can learn what to emphasize, Sean Spicer, Trump's first White House spokesman, told VOA.
"Trump acted more on a feeling than on what he thought and believed," Spicer believes.
"You can't fake authenticity," agrees Jensen. "The premise of charisma is that it's not worth much without authenticity. You can fool people with some tactics, but not for long."
In his address to the voters, Biden insists that he is authentic.
"I never, ever say anything I don't mean. I never tell you anything I don't believe, even when I know it's not popular," Biden said as a 2020 presidential candidate.
"Biden is known for showing people that he cares and wants to listen to them. And then he uses those stories later in his rhetoric, and that's a powerful tool in creating identification with voters," says Jensen.
Sean Spicer admits that Biden is good at "one-on-one" meetings with voters, but points out that Trump is more authentic than him.
"For candidates other than Biden and Trump, it's important to be who they are. If you don't present yourself that way, the media will see through it, and then so will the voters," concludes Farnsworth.
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