Which is more important in a national leader: substance or style?

Question

Which is more important in a national leader: substance or style?

Answer 1

Substance. And if it would be delivered by the Hunchback of Notre Dame is is more important than icing

Answer 2

I think that's a very difficult question because there's more to leadership than just ideas or even competence. For example a very good accountant might be very smart, diligent, trustworthy, etc but not a good leader. A leader has to instill confidence otherwise people won't follow and those are pretty intangible characteristics.

I think you have to have both.

Answer 3

To get elected: style.

To get re-elected: style again.  

Answer 4

I would say substance, but most liberals would disagree with me.

Answer 5

Both, the premise is faulty. A national leader often motivates, sometimes by rolling their sleeves up and diving in or sometimes with how they conduct themselves. The higher up the food chain the less they roll up their sleeves. These GOP talking points offer very little in terms of style or substance. They spray the room with attacks, hoping something sticks, then wrap it in a flag and sell it.

Answer 6

The Presidency has never been a contest for the candidate with longest list of accomplishements

The Presidency is about Wisdom, Vision, and being able to Communicate both of these to the electorate.

Substance matters in that leader needs to have legitmate factual reasons for taking action.  Style become important when it becomes necessary to convince the electorate that something unpopular or unpleasant needs to be done.

But in my opinion, Vision, Wisdom & Communication are 3 most important characteristics requried to be a successsful US President.  It is also my opinion that Senator Obama has all 3 of these in a huge way vs McCain-Bush.

Answer 7

Clearly substance is more important. We need a real leader not a cheerleader.  

Answer 8

Substance. Obama may have style but he is in no position to be POTUS.

McCain will be ready from day one.