Honestly folks, I’m really not judging politics here. I am simply attempting to look at how the authenticity levels of candidates are affecting their public speaking effectiveness. Here’s how I rate the top remaining candidates.

1-10 scale

10 equals perfect authenticity

1 equals phony baloney

Republicans

John McCain. Rating 9. McCain is an inconsistent speaker (his victory speech after the New Hampshire Primary was awful), but he does ooze authenticity. He’s not afraid to say unpopular things; in fact he enjoys doing so. His “let the chips fall where they may” attitude doesn’t help him in front of every crowd or on every issue, but over the long haul, it does cement his image of authenticity.

Mitt Romney. Rating 1. Romney has superb public speaking skills, but he comes across as extraordinarily inauthentic. Romney is obviously highly educated, extremely intelligent, very rational, and a huge talent. But he’s been a moderate/libertarian/liberal his whole life. When Romney speaks, you can almost see a thought bubble over his head that reads “I must tell these rubes this idiotic BS, because that’s what the polls say is popular. Once I get elected I can do what I want.” And now when voters watch him mouthing platitudes that he obviously doesn’t believe in, it’s comical. It’s like watching a public service announcement on TV starring Wink Martindale, the game show host (and Romney look-alike) warning kids about the dangers of watching too many TV game shows. It’s laughably un-credible.

Mike Huckabee. Rating 10. Wow, with Huckabee I get the feeling he could get elected as a member of parliament in Japan—without changing any of his positions. You don’t ever get the sense that Huckabee has any doubts when expressing his beliefs and positions.

Rudy Giuliani. Rating 2. Giuliani looks and sounds phony pretending to be a gun-toting, NASCAR loving, Rush Limbaugh fan. Giuliani is authentic when he talks about 9-11, but when he tries to worship at the alter of Ronald Reagan and pretend to be a conservative, the former mayor becomes a joke. Giuliani’s contempt for traditional values and the 2nd amendment are only surpassed by his love of homosexual cohabitation and cross dressing. Giuliani fighting to be the standard-bearer of the Right as the credibility of jess Jackson running to Grand Wizard of the KKK.

Democrats

John Edwards Rating 2. In 2004, the 50-year old Edwards ran for president as a conservative-centrist North Carolina Democrat. In 2008 he is a Huey-long, left-wing populist. Huh? Edwards takes a lot of flack in the media for fancy haircuts and his mansions because he seems so inauthentic. For goodness sakes, Edwards made nearly half a million dollars last year doing part time work at a hedge fund. Edwards would seem much more authentic if he just smiled and said “It’s great to be rich. I love money!”

Barack Obama. Rating 9. Like McCain, Obama has written a universally acclaimed autobiography. He has been candid about past traumas and drug use. It doesn’t seem to twist and turn with new positions on the campaign trail.

Hillary Clinton. Rating 9. I know I’m going to receive hate mail for this one. But I simply don’t think that the average voter who hasn’t been caught up in the Hillary Hating Media Industrial complex has negative views about Clinton’s levels of authenticity. Clinton is basically a very hard-working, centrist policy wonk. That’s how she talks and it appears to be consistent with who she really is.

Mitt Romney—I thought he seemed down, depressed, and as if his whole world were caving in. Other pundits thought it was his best speech of the campaign—candid, genuine and personal.

Mike Huckabee—He was his usual Huckabee, i.e., funny, personal, emotional, and empathetic. Huckabee is Rush Limbaugh, Ronald Reagan, James Carville and Gomer Pyle combined. He looked and sounded like a winner.

John Edwards—He is Mr. Sunshine. You might not like his populist, left-wing politics, but Edwards has a strong grasp of classical oratory. He doesn’t talk about “people” who need healthcare. He talks about “Natalie” who needs a liver operation by 10 AM tomorrow. He is extraordinarily clear, understandable and memorable.

John McCain—What an awful speech! He read, head down, poorly. Whether he was stumbling on his own lines or repeatedly poorly written bromides, McCain did himself no good.

Hillary Clinton—“I found my own voice”—great sound bite from Clinton. She resisted gloating after the whole world had written her off. Clinton did a great job of speaking in an earnest, conversational manner. She resisted the urge to increase her volume, which tends to make her sound stilted and condescending. It was a euphoric speech in front of a euphoric audience.

Barack Obama—Obama played it exactly right—he properly congratulated Senator Clinton, and then he proceeded to give a speech exactly as if he had won the election. It reminds me of precisely how Bill Clinton handled his second place finish in 1992. Obama did a great job of concealing what must have been extreme disappointment about losing a race that nearly every poll said he would win by double digits. P.S. Obama did a fantastic job of using a teleprompter!

McCain Came across as the winner–most forceful and funny.

Huckabee–second place–another strong night.

Giuliani–third place. no big problems, but didn’t distinguish himself.

Tied for last place–Thompson and Romney. Thompson bumbled his way along and Romney was on the defensive all night and became an object of ridicule.

Paul. Positives on Obama.

Gibson re gas prices

Paul gets onto monetary policy and he loses the audience.

This is McCain’s finest performance–he is dominating the debate thus far.

McCain has reduced Romney to an object of ridicule in this debate.

Romney has had to complian tht McCain was picking on him–Romney sounded like a crybaby.

Thompson is rambling–he is the worst communicator on the stage tonight.

Giuliani is forceful on energy.

Huckabee continues to sound thoughtful and intelligent.

Romney-sounds knowledgeable on energy.

Giuliani defending his immigration policies. He seems reasonable and rational here.

Thompson continues to stammer.

Huckabee on immigration strikes a balance of seeming tough and compassionate. Fascinating spin by saying immigrants should be able to hold their heads high–nice twist.  

Paul. Sounds rational and intelligent on immigration.

Q_what about Barack Obama?

Romney–uses occasion big words like “positing.”

Thompson. Obama is a “liberal” “liberal” “liberal”

McCain. Gets the best dig in of the night “Romney, you are the candidate of change” boom, what a funny slam!

McCain is having the most fun tongiht. Finally, McCain’s humor is coming through.

 Giuliani–Nobody likes to talk about htis, but Giuliani has a lisp and he’s bald. The more he is seen, the worse he seems to be doing. Is there a corelation and causation here?

 Huckabee takes interesting twist saying positive things about Obama and drafting into his vertical outlook.

McCain shows a light fun confidence.

McCain’s shirt, tie and suit are perfect for TV. he doesn’t seem ruffled regarding immigration. sounds compassionate toward immigrants. They are “God’s children.”

Romney-anti-amnesty. Pro-legal immigration.

Giuliani dodges question on throwing out 12 million illegal immigrants. But then says you just can’t do it.

Romney seems very smart, but stirrgule not to get into the complexity he understands. Romney is on the defensive.

 McCain gives a good slam to Romney “You can spend your fortune” saying it and it still won’t be true.

McCain slams Romney on changing positions and laughs. McCain is getting the better of Romney.

Giuliani sounds great on immigration. He invokes Reagan on immigration and puts everything in perspective.

Giuliani seems crass with jokes about Canadians coming to US for healthcare.

All of the candidates are coming across as relatively competent, comfortable and credible.

Romney makes a forceful defense of his helathcare policies as governor. Romney seems really smart and forceful here.

Paul has great point on US citizens going to India for heart surgery. He gets angry and seems cranky.

Thompson–seems condescending toward Paul. Thompson makes strong case for using markets in healthcare.

Romney “I like mandates.” Will this come back to haunt him among GOP?

Romney gives an example of someone who makes $100,000–gives the impression he never met anyone who makes that little.

Romeny lost this threat. He got lost in the complexity and seems like he likes taxes, mandates and federal healthcare plans. 

Huckabee sounds forceful talking about 80 percent of healthcare money going to people wo are nearly dead. “it is about a $1000 for a kleeniex in a hospital.”

McCain gives a funny face–every so often that is OK–got it a laugh.

McCain brings in more irreverent humor mentioning SC and Iowa.

Romney defending big Pharma. McCain saying big pharma are the bad guys.

Huckabee talking about core principles–very thoughtful–not glib–appears statesman-like.

Thompson-Thompson needs more makeup to cover the bags under his eyes. Thompson stammers a lot–he’s really not very articulate.

Paul pointing out numerous constitutional hypocrisy–very forceful. 

Giuliani is really wound up re islamic terrorism. He gets going on 9-11.

Gibson moves to domestic policy.

Bush video clip re philosophical principles

McCain vs Romney

McCain doesn’t seem to want to attack Romney at first. mcCain looks and sounds presidential here. Not negative. Very positive.

Romney. Talking about family and America–not dealing with the charges that he has flip-flopped on all major issues. Romney is slick–and I don’t mean that in a negative way.

Gibson politely pointed out that they weren’t attacking each other and this was disappointing. 

Giuliani didn’t engage either.

Gibson did a great simple and fair description of each candidates flip-flops.

McCain–strong opening. Not afraid to give Bush a little credit. McCain contininues to blink excessively.

Ron Paul 1st answer. Paul still looks and sounds impish and peevish–even when is says sensible things. Paul tkaes nice swipe at Giuliani and makes argument for america antagonizing the world.

Romney first answer. Romney is very pro-Bush. Romney is uncharacteristicly sloppy. His tie is hanging out. It is a bad TV tie. The white shirt is too bright. Romney is still smooth, polished, comfortable and confident.