Do You Like Me? Yes/No/Maybe

An interesting article over at CNN about likeability for the current Presidential candidates.  It shows that likeability isn’t the main factor for peoples’ presidential preferences, although it helps.  “Electability” might be a better word.

Hillary Clinton is now the frontrunner among New Hampshire Democrats. But when Democrats were asked which candidate they find most likeable, Clinton came in third, behind Barack Obama and John Edwards.

I can’t believe Dennis Kucinich wasn’t up there.  How can you not like Dennis Kucinich?  He’s like four feet tall!  Of the Republicans, my guess is that Rudy and Romney would have higher likeability factors than McCain, despite the poll numbers.
So I read a little further:

Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani are rated pretty likeable by New Hampshire Republicans. John McCain is not — maybe too much straight talk on Iraq and immigration.

Ba-zing.  McCain is also a crusty old man.

Have Americans elected a president they didn’t particularly like? “Try Richard M. Nixon,” [Stephen] Hess [a historian] said. “Twice.”

So there’s hope for the unlikeables.