Sen. Scott Brown is a textbook example of how to handle embarrassing questions from the media. I’ve seen him on numerous tv shows over the last couple of weeks and each time he’s asked about his former career as a nude centerfold model for Cosmo. Each time, he smiles, looks relaxed and isn’t bothered at all. He laughs it off. There are only so many times reporters and opponents can bring this up. Brown is handling it perfectly by appearing to not let it get under his skin.

The headline  on the Drudge Report is about the new Mass. Senator running for President. Premature? Of course, but the euphoria is natural for two reasons. #1, it was a real political coup for any Republican to take control of Ted Kennedy’s Senate Seat. And #2 it is a testament to the communication skills of Brown.

Why is Sen.-elect Brown getting such good marks and why is he being compared favorably to Ronald Reagan?

1. Both Reagan and Brown had the ability to paint a positive portrait of their political philosophy and their version of a happy world.
2. Both Reagan and Brown have the ability to paint their opponents and their opponents’ philosophies as a part of a massive problem that is making the world worse.
3. Both, and this is the important part, are able to communicate the negative messages about their opponents while wearing a smile on their face and not seeming to be nasty or mean.
4. Both mean answer questions about themselves by appearing self-effacing and re-contextualizing the issue in terms of people, and the greater society.
5. Both men (and this may seem superficial and unfair but it must be said in any fair calculation of their media appeal) have perfect heads of hair and are possessed of rugged good looks.
6. Both men understand the importance of symbolic communication. Reagan with his preference for simple meatloaf and Brown with his love for his pickup truck.
7. Both men ignore and laugh off criticism. Whether it was Reagan botching facts or Brown’s own embarrassing semi-nude photo spread for Cosmo, both men realize that it’s never smart communication to waste time defending or apologizing. Instead, both men stuck to their positive messages about themselves and the negative messages about their opponents.

I wouldn’t advise Sen.-elect Brown to start planning on re-decorating the White House just yet, but I do think he is going to have a major national profile in the months and years to come far in excess of the normal freshman minority senator.