The President's Popularity

This begs the question...why do so many people like him? In this poll, for example, 47 percent of the respondents called Bill their favorite. He beat out Michael Jordan, arguably the world's most recognizable man, by a good 20 percent of the vote. The other people on the list (Newt Gingrich, Steve Case and Robert Johnson) were barely mentioned by voters. Steve Case, CEO of AOL, took 13 percent of the vote, and Newt and Robert Johnson took approximately 6 percent apiece.

And yet, Clinton is a man who was very nearly impeached for what some say was reprehensible behavior. Then why the popularity?

Conventional wisdom says it's the economy, stupid, but I disagree. Yeah, the economy has been in fabulous shape since Bill and Al came to power, but that may have more to do with timing than economic sensibilities. Bill and Al rode the crest of the Internet stock wave. This country hasn't been in a recession for years, but that hasn't just had something to do with who has been in office.

No, instead, people like Bill Clinton because they recognize the Bill Clintons in their own personalities. Everyone has made mistakes and lied to cover up those transgressions. Everyone has felt that undeniable yearning to get people to like them. Everyone has struggled with some personal failing, whether that is weight issues or drug dabbling or inability to maintain a relationship with a family member.

I think it also has to do with the fact that Clinton has a charismatic magnetism that's hard to dislike. Just ask Monica Lewinsky.

I had the opportunity to experience this magnetism firsthand after a bill-signing ceremony at the White House in 1998. Clinton was signing the Bulletproof Vest Grant Partnership Act into law, and Vice President Gore and Attorney General Reno were also on hand for the ceremony. After the East Room ceremony was finished, my colleague and I joined the crush of people moving toward the dais to shake any hands that we could.

We got up there too late to catch Attorney General Reno. She must have had another engagement, because she said hello to a few people and headed for the door. But we both shook hands with Al Gore and exchanged a few words with him. It was exciting, but he didn't project much more than surface warmth. It was like shaking hands with a colleague at a networking cocktail party.

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