This is the 16th article in a weekly series looking at possible 2012 presidential contenders. Click here to learn more about the series.
Unless you’re a total political junkie, you’ve probably never heard of Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN). But he made a small splash back in September when he came in first place in the conservative Values Voters Summit Straw Poll, making him a legitimate contender.
Mr. Pence has served in Congress since 2001. He recently announced his plans to resign his position as chairman of the House Republican Conference, fueling speculation that he’s contemplating a run for president or governor of Indiana.
He has several of the seven traits all eight winning presidential candidates have had since the beginning of the 24/7 media age in 1980.
First, he is one of the most on-message candidates I’ve reviewed so far. He returned to his “no compromise” message regarding fiscal responsibility numerous times throughout the interview:
“There’s going to be no compromise on ending runaway federal spending, borrowing, bailouts, takeovers, deficits and debt. There are no compromises on repealing ObamaCare lock, stock, and barrel. There’s going to be no compromise on supporting our troops or protecting the values of the American people in the way we spend people’s money.”
Mr. Pence’s message seems well-aligned with the concerns of independent voters. He appears comfortable in his own skin and eschews the big words in favor of everyday language.
I’ll review Rep. Pence’s communications flaws and give him a grade below.
Mr. Pence is walking a fine line between passion and anger. His passion too often comes across as strident, his unwavering certainty too often as disdain, his strength too often as stubborn.
As Al Gore and John McCain can both attest, angry candidates don’t win. Mr. Pence could benefit from media training that helps him retain his passion while losing the negative qualities that accompany it.
While his messaging is good, his spinning is blatantly obvious. When Ms. VanSusteren asked him whether he’d get rid of earmarks altogether, Mr. Pence refused to answer directly, undercutting his “no compromise” platform of fiscal responsibility.
The more optimistic candidate has won every election since the dawn of the 24/7 media age. If Rep. Pence doesn’t overhaul his tone, he’s unlikely to unseat President Obama.
GRADE: C
To see the other candidates I’ve reviewed so far, click on their names: John Thune, Mitt Romney, Haley Barbour, Newt Gingrich, Jeb Bush, Tim Pawlenty, Mitch Daniels, Bobby Jindal, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Chris Christie, Gary Johnson, Jim DeMint, Donald Trump, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama
