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Biden lacks a “magnetic personality”

Biden lacks a “magnetic personality”

Occasionally, it is the small things that have great meaning.  As a candidate, President Biden was not drawing large crowds.  He was able to distract from that fact because the Covid Pandemic kept him in his bunker basement.

Now that he is President of the United States, one may think that he would have some box-office appeal.  Apparently not much.

During his visit to Howell, Michigan, Biden held an outdoor speaking event.  What a wonderful opportunity for the good folks of Howell to see and hear a President of the United States in person – maybe even get close to him.

Weeell … apparently the people of Howell were not impressed – underwhelmed, you might say.  

For his public appearance Biden drew fewer than 50 curious on-lookers or devoted fans.  I often draw more than 50 people when I give a speech – sometimes even an audience in the hundreds.  Not often, but it does happen

So, why does Biden draw such abysmally small crowds?  There may be a number of reasons.

  1. Maybe he does not want to have too many people in the audience.  You know, the sort that may ask the tough questions the press refuses to ask?  Maybe they want to avoid having unkind words – or even catcalls – ruining the video recordings.
  2. Maybe his handlers fear he will get into an ugly exchange with voters – as he was prone to do during the campaign.
  3. Maybe the host organization screwed up.  They did not get the invitations out in time.
  4. Maybe there were ominous weather reports.
  5. Maybe Biden was late as usual – and most of the crowd departed before he could speak.
  6. Maybe most people are just not interested in hearing what he has to say.

Since this is by far not the first time that Biden spoke to small crowds, I assume number 5 might be the correct answer.

He is low on what I call the “title scale” – meaning that his presence does not make people tittle.  After all, if you are going to meet the most powerful head-of-state in the world, you want to feel at least some level of titillation.  With Biden, you get the impression that it would be less exciting than sitting next to the guy who regularly occupies the next seat at the local bar.

I know his crowd sizes are not the biggest issue with which we must deal – not by a long shot.  But I do wonder what it is about Biden that creates such a low title level.  Maybe it is because he does not appear to be the guy who is actually in charge.  Maybe people are used to hearing Biden voiced by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.  Maybe … maybe … maybe.   Maybe readers can explain Biden’s lack of box-office appeal.

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

12 Comments

  1. Dan Tyree

    That ignorant bastard lacks a brain

  2. Joseph S. Bruder

    Maybe Biden is just not all about promoting himself, like the previous guy… He makes a low-key visit somewhere, gives a little speech in front of a local group and a few members of the press, and moves on. It’s not all about him, and the message gets out.

    Trump used his Nuremburg rallies for self-aggrandizement, like the narcissist he is. He had no message – he would just keep throwing out buzzwords, and repeat any theme that got the crowd riled up. On the other hand, Biden doesn’t care about building himself up, it’s the message that counts.

    Given the choice of hype versus substance, I’d prefer a President with substance, especially after 4 years of hype with nothing but lies behind it.

    • Johnreed

      Substance? Best laugh I’ve had in a long time. Biden isn’t allowed by his handlers to answer many questions. They know that he’s an idiot idiot.

  3. frank stetson

    So we have a guy who, at this very moment, means everything to the future of our nation, now, and we could care less.
    We have another guy, who, at this very moment, means nothing to the future of our nation, now, and we pack the place like lemmings at the cliff.
    And then Larry grades both on the curve….
    Go figure.

    Of course, I might add, we have a sport that means nothing to sports, then, now and in the future, and the WWE packs em like sardines in a can. Does that tell you something about which is the best sport? Of course not.

    Larry,
    I believe Joe does favor smaller crowds, I believe he likes being more personal versus the allure of the big tent, I believe he can handle the big tent, but dislikes the big show, for probably a host of reasons. Sort of like the difference in a Pink Floyd concert versus a Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie show. I like both shows, but favor the more personal if pushed. Now, that said, I saw Floyd the day Dark Side came out, in a small garden pavilion, well before the big shows, and…..the big shows were worth the challenge to get there! The big show is fun, I would go to see Trump in a heartbeat; I can use the laughs. But there is less humanity, more show, in the larger venues where it becomes more about spectacle than substance.

    Joe is also not a rah-rah cheerleader, he does not need to whip people into a frenzy of hate against opponents, so he does not really need the blind allegiance of the mob, something that other leaders feel is important. Plain speaking sometimes demands smaller crowds.

    In my career, I also went for about 100-200 at my events across the globe, largest was only over 1K, and I found the small events more personal, but the larger ones more intoxicating, energizing, and scary too. The worst was 200 Japanese with translator headsets on, eyes closed, finger on brow, in a darkened room. FYI – don’t start these with an American joke…bad ju ju… So, I enjoyed the small venues, one of the best was 6 folks in Erie PA, where you shouldn’t make a liberal joke :>) Loved to only have a dozen, but would die for 100 or more, more fun. But others favor either just the smaller venues or the larger ones for a whole host of reasons. I am guessing personal comfort is the main reason, but I really doubt Biden does it to avoid tough questions. I think he just likes working the smaller venues, getting personal, and knows everyone else who wants to, is listening and watching anyway.

    But to respond to whatever you are trying to say: I think this was always planned to be a smaller, seated, crowd. He did pull 500 haters on the road in…..so he does have pull :>) Gee, does that mean we are losing the 2022’s. Dream on McDuff, dream on. There is no doubt he enjoys the smaller venues more. Just not sure you can read much into that any more than deriving anything from Trump’s maga rallies, except that one of them turned into an armed insurrection against the Congress attempting to lynch Trump’s own Vice President. Gee, now that I think about it, I never saw anything like that from a Biden show……

    • Dan Tyree

      Keep hanging with a retard. It doesn’t matter if the country is weakened by the commiecrats. You people are ashamed of retard joe and his token ho but won’t admit it. Lol. The red wave next year will be tremendous. But rest assured that san fransodomy will put Nancy back in. But she will never gavel in congress again after next year. Hahaha. Has anyone ever seen a lame duck that’s also lame from the neck up. We are about to I can’t help but notice that Ben and Mike’s not posting now. Do y’all want me to quit? Let’s have a vote, but no vote stealing. Lol. And dead people need to stay buried.

  4. Frankstetson

    I will keep hanging with you, shine on, you crazy little racist.

    • Dan Tyree

      Little? Over 200 lbs. 6 ft. tall. Hung like Johnny Holmes. Not so little

      • Joseph S. Bruder

        Danny Boy, not being a gay porn watcher, I have no idea who or how hung Johnny Holmes is. But I’m not surprised that you do.

        And I have you by about 40 lbs…

        • Dan Tyree

          Holmes didn’t make queer porn. And you’re admitting to being a fat ass

          • Joseph S. Bruder

            I’ll defer to you as the expert on queer porn… and pig porn…

  5. frank stetson

    Hey, I wouldn’t argue with Little Dan; he’s in his element, his field of expertise.

    Of course, his hero, Johnny Wad, died of Aids. Now, his fascination really makes some sense. But still, what kind of gent needs to advertise size.

    • Dan Tyree

      Who said that Johnny was my hero? I saw a couple of his movies in my teen years. I don’t idolize porn stars