Obama's re-election bid: Will being 'cooler' than Mitt Romney really help?
It didn't take slow-jamming the news with Jimmy Fallon to prove that Obama's hipper than Romney, but the cool factor could actually hurt the president's chances

There's a lot we don't, and can't, know about who will be president this time next year, but "here's a fundamental fact of the 2012 presidential race," says Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post: "President Obama is cool. Mitt Romney isn't." Obama slow-jams the news with Jimmy Fallon and sinks three-pointers; Romney sings "Who let the dogs out" and "praises the height of trees." But while that may seem an obvious plus for Obama, Republicans have already started to use his "'coolness' and likeability as a weapon against him," says Jake Tapper at ABC News. Sure, "Romney will never be cooler," their argument goes, but "this election isn't about fun on Jimmy Fallon — it's about competence and jobs." Given the serious problems we face, will it even matter which candidate is cooler come November?
Bring on the boring, please: Romney isn't just square, he's possibly "the least hip presidential candidate since Nixon set foot on a beach," says Aaron Goldstein at The American Spectator. And I say, let's hire him. So he can't carry a tune? "We're voting for the next American president, not the next American idol." Obama gave us enough drama, finger-pointing, scandals, and trillion-dollar deficits to last a lifetime. "Four years of boredom is exactly what this country needs."
"The most boring man in the world"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Don't dismiss the cool factor: Look, "even Richard Nixon appeared on Laugh In," says Matt Lewis at The Daily Caller. And sure, voters could be looking for a "technocrat to fix the economy" instead of a rock star. But pitting President Cool against the GOP embodiment of The Man sure seems like "a PR/optics problem for Republicans." Not only does Romney end up looking like a PC next to Obama's Mac, he looks like last year's model. If Mitt picks a "milquetoast running mate," that seals the deal for Obama.
"The danger: Democrat vs. Republican becomes Mac vs. PC"
"Cool" won't be enough this time: The "cool" factor does matter, in that it's "actually a non-negligible element of the voting choice" for the much-courted millennials, says Alexandra Petri at The Washington Post. But while Obama is unquestionably cooler than Romney, he's not nearly as hip as Obama 2008, when voting hope-and-change was "mandatory." If the under-30 crowd gives Obama "the indifferent shrug" this year, he may very well "win the cool battle but lose the vote war."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The best shows to see at Edinburgh Fringe 2025
The Week Recommends The world's biggest arts festival is back with an incredible line-up
-
Wonsan-Kalma: North Korea's new 'mammoth' beach resort
Under the Radar Pyongyang wants to boost tourism but there won't be many foreign visitors to Kim Jong Un's 'pet project'
-
The 5 best TV reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Finding an entirely new cast to play beloved characters is harder than it looks
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: which party are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?