Charisma Beats Competence

Michael Birch, a successful entrepreneur, observed that in presidential elections, charisma tends to be more influential than technical competence or experience. This observation led to an interesting business concept about how to potentially influence political outcomes through entertainment.

Key Points:

• Historical Pattern in Elections:

  • Looking back at the last 12 elections (approximately 50 years)
  • The more charismatic candidate tends to win, not always but consistently
  • Examples include choosing George Bush over John Kerry or Al Gore

• Current Political Landscape:

  • DeSantis vs Vivek example shows this pattern
  • DeSantis has more experience and party machine backing
  • Vivek is gaining traction primarily through superior speaking ability and debate performance
  • Trump's success attributed more to charisma than traditional political experience

• Business Concept to Address This Reality:

  • Proposed TV show called "The President"
  • Similar format to American Idol or The Apprentice
  • Would feature 12 presidential hopefuls
  • Weekly challenges in different cities (e.g., speaking to coal miners in West Virginia)
  • Local people would vote off weakest candidates
  • Goal: Find the most charismatic candidate through entertainment

• Potential Impact:

  • Could serve as alternative to traditional party selection process
  • More engaging way to identify strong candidates
  • Challenges would test real leadership abilities
  • Could influence political outcomes through entertainment rather than traditional political processes

• Implementation Details:

  • Partner with experienced producers (like Mark Burnett of Survivor)
  • Focus on practical challenges that demonstrate leadership
  • Create engaging content while serving a serious purpose
  • Provide alternative path to political visibility outside party structure