UPDATE: I revisited this idea here in a YKC fundraising post.
Check out this CNN clip with Al Gore the non-politician.
This is what people want, someone brave enough to convey their values as a vision. There's much discussion about whether the blogosphere is ideology driven, but that conversation based on a false assumption of the blogosphere as a new kind of constituency. It's not. It's simply a collection of people who use online tools to educate themselves about candidates. Individual ideas are important, but with so much information threatening to overload thoughtful voters, what is more important is having a big idea, a vision, and the authenticity to rise above the noise and clearly communicate it.
People vote for people, not issues, and so consultants advise candidates to talk about values. Religion is a familiar framework for values, and sound bite politics has rewarded Republicans who cynically use religious overtures as a substitute for discussing values. Meanwhile, Democrats don't have such a convenient catchall to hide behind and so are accused of not standing for anything.
Democrats can better express their values through authenticity. The growth of Internet technologies is turning information into an unlimited, instant resource and facilitating the complex dialogue required for an authentic communication of values. The election of candidates like Jon Tester and Jim Webb, and the defeat of incumbents like Rick Santorum and George Allen suggest that authenticity is already being rewarded while stripping away the thin veneer of false piety and self-righteousness that for too long has enabled the worst characters in Washington to exploit their positions and the American people.
While there will always be a place for well rehearsed talking points, youtube and similar technologies will surely catch more and more candidates off script, and the ability to convey authenticity will not only make candidates more attractive to voters, but will also make it easier to forgive gaffs.
This is good. People vote for people, and when given the chance, they will vote for who they believe has values most like their own. The inevitable requirement of authenticity will help voters understand each candidate's values and, in the end, give voters real choices in deciding whose vision is best for moving our country forward.
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