When was the last time that the less charismatic candidate won?

[bhouston79]

Here's a list of the elections since 1960:

1960:  Kennedy is more charismatic than Nixon.  Kennedy wins!
1964:  Neither Johnson nor Goldwater were particularly charismatic.
1968:  Neither Nixon nor Humphrey were particularly charmismatic.
1972:  Neither Nixon nor McGovern were particularly charmismatic.
1976:  Carter is more charismatic than Ford.  Carter wins!
1980:  Reagan is more charismatic than Carter.  Reagan wins!
1984:  Reagan is more charismatic than Mondale.  Reagan wins!
1988:  Neither Bush nor Dukakis were particularly charismatic.
1992:  Clinton is more charismatic than Bush.  Clinton wins!
1996:  Clinton is more charismatic than Dole.  Clinton wins!
2000:  Bush is more charismatic than Gore.  Bush wins! (at least that's what the U.S. Court decided)
2004:  Bush is more charismatic than Kerry.  Bush wins!
2008:  Obama is more charismatic than McCain.  Obama wins!

Is it possible for a candidate who is clearly less charismatic than his or her opponent to win a general election for President in this age of television and computers?

[Nym90]

Well, it certainly matters more now than it used to. I'd add that Eisenhower was clearly more charismatic than Stevenson, as well.

However, if a particular year looks good or bad for a party, it affects whether or not that party's charismatic candidates run for the nomination. Something worth keeping in mind.

[minionofmidas]

2004.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Here's a list of the elections since 1960:

1960:  Kennedy is more charismatic than Nixon.  Kennedy wins!
1964:  Neither Johnson nor Goldwater were particularly charismatic.
1968:  Neither Nixon nor Humphrey were particularly charmismatic.
1972:  Neither Nixon nor McGovern were particularly charmismatic.
1976:  Carter is more charismatic than Ford.  Carter wins!
1980:  Reagan is more charismatic than Carter.  Reagan wins!
1984:  Reagan is more charismatic than Mondale.  Reagan wins!
1988:  Neither Bush nor Dukakis were particularly charismatic.
1992:  Clinton is more charismatic than Bush.  Clinton wins!
1996:  Clinton is more charismatic than Dole.  Clinton wins!
2000:  Bush is more charismatic than Gore.  Bush wins! (at least that's what the U.S. Court decided)
2004:  Bush is more charismatic than Kerry.  Bush wins!
2008:  Obama is more charismatic than McCain.  Obama wins!

Is it possible for a candidate who is clearly less charismatic than his or her opponent to win a general election for President in this age of television and computers?

1824 : Jackson was more charismatic than Adams.
1896 : Bryan was more charismatic than McKinley
1900 : idem
1908 : idem
1912 : TR was more charismatic than Wilson

[Landslide Lyndon]

Saying that Carter and W. were charismatic, stretches the notion quite a bit IMHO.

[minionofmidas]

Here's a list of the elections since 1960:

1960:  Kennedy is more charismatic than Nixon.  Kennedy wins!
1964:  Neither Johnson nor Goldwater were particularly charismatic.
1968:  Neither Nixon nor Humphrey were particularly charmismatic.
1972:  Neither Nixon nor McGovern were particularly charmismatic.
1976:  Carter is more charismatic than Ford.  Carter wins!
1980:  Reagan is more charismatic than Carter.  Reagan wins!
1984:  Reagan is more charismatic than Mondale.  Reagan wins!
1988:  Neither Bush nor Dukakis were particularly charismatic.
1992:  Clinton is more charismatic than Bush.  Clinton wins!
1996:  Clinton is more charismatic than Dole.  Clinton wins!
2000:  Bush is more charismatic than Gore.  Bush wins! (at least that's what the U.S. Court decided)
2004:  Bush is more charismatic than Kerry.  Bush wins!
2008:  Obama is more charismatic than McCain.  Obama wins!

Is it possible for a candidate who is clearly less charismatic than his or her opponent to win a general election for President in this age of television and computers?

1824 : Jackson was more charismatic than Adams.
1896 : Bryan was more charismatic than McKinley
1900 : idem
1908 : idem
1912 : TR was more charismatic than Wilson

[Person Man]

...or maybe by "Charisma", you mean a more clear vision for America. You know, the entire "American Exceptionalism" thing. You have to convince voters that you think America is awesome despite your urge to change it.

[Mr.Phips]

Ford may have been slightly more charismatic than Carter. 

[Fritz]

1824 : Jackson was more charismatic than Adams.

Jackson won that election, both popularly and electorally- but failed to get a majority, only because it was a four man race.

[Bo]

1908: Taft won, even though Bryan was more charismatic. With the introduction of the radio soon afterwards and later television and the Internet, it has become increasingly hard for uncharismatic candidates to win (unless, of course, they have an uncharismatic opponent). Even though, in 2000, the less charismatic candidate almost won.

[King]

Isn't Pres. Coolidge famous for being the least charismatic person in the history of the human race?

[Bo]

Isn't Pres. Coolidge famous for being the least charismatic person in the history of the human race?

Gore and Kerry are probably more uncharismatic. And even though Coolidge wasn't the most charismatic guy in the world (at least after his son died), John Davis was no more charismatic than Coolidge was. LaFollette might have been, but I'm assuming we're only taking about major party contenders here.

[perdedor]

1972. McGovern was most certainly more charismatic than Nixon.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

1972. McGovern was most certainly more charismatic than Nixon.

lol

[Guderian]

Winning makes you charismatic, losing makes you uncharismatic, it's really that simple.

[Bo]

Winning makes you charismatic, losing makes you uncharismatic, it's really that simple.

False. Coolidge, Hoover, Nixon, and Bush Sr. were nto very charismatic, yet they still managed to win, mostly because their opponents were uncharismatic as well and because the national environment favored them. BTW, would you say Gore was charismatic if he had won in 2000?

[HappyWarrior]

I'd say Humphery was quite charismatic when he wanted to be so I'd say 68.

[Guderian]

False. Coolidge, Hoover, Nixon, and Bush Sr. were nto very charismatic, yet they still managed to win, mostly because their opponents were uncharismatic as well and because the national environment favored them. BTW, would you say Gore was charismatic if he had won in 2000?

I consider entire charismatic/uncharismatic thing bullsh**t (except in some very limited cases), so I wouldn't call him any of these two things, but yeah majority of people would say he was at least more charismatic than Bush, just as they say now that Bush was more charismatic than Gore.

It's very hard to seem charismatic in defeat, that's way people always give the charisma edge to the winner. If you google "Scott Brown charisma" you get 116,000 hits, but if you google "Martha Coakley charisma" you get only 12,000 (most of them probably explanations why Brown was so much more charismatic candidate). Now imagine Massachusetts special was held in November 2009 instead of January 2010 - Coakley probably wins by 20 points and nobody talks about Scott Brown's charisma, except perhaps his wife during pillow talk.

Entire concept is just a fat political cliche.