Thread:Comments:United States re-elects Barack Obama/A truly terrible day, IMO./reply (4)

A historical trend, then. In 1960, it was the televised debates that made the difference in the razor-thin contest. The well-groomed and calm Kennedy became a preferable alternative in many voter's minds to the jowly-looking and sweaty Nixon. There's no denying that we humans like our leaders to be charismatic and energetic, at least on a subconscious level--to the point where it affects the voting tendencies of the undecided voters that so often determine the outcome of close contests like the 2012 election. It's a psychological reality, but it's not something I'd put in an article anyway. :-)