What makes Barack Obama so attractive as a candidate?

I'm surprised by how he has surged into the lead - he came out of nowhere. I never heard of him before.

But he does have charisma - I recently read he's similar ro Reagan and Bill Clinton in that way. Like those guys or not, you were more likely to listen to them speak than some other politicians.

Also, he considers his answers before he speaks. Makes him sound more intelligent. And he seems passionate without getting bent out of shape or flustered.

Not 100% sure of where he stands on some issues though.

I think most women find him to be a fairly attractive guy. He would be the youngest-looking president of the U.S. ever, if elected. He even looks younger than JFK did (Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest president ever, but he always looked like he was about 60 years old). His voice is definitely a huge asset. It projects better than any of the other candidates and is far more pleasing than Hillary's. The fact that Obama won Iowa, a state that is 95% white, shows that America can move past the non-issue involving his middle and last name, which seemed to be the major argument against him a year ago. It was nice to see Americans prove that they were smarter than the pundits who harped on and on about how his middle name was Hussein and his last name rhymes with Osama.

What makes Obama so attractive as a candidate is the unattractive nature of the rest of the Democratic candidates...

Look at the field and tell me who else is attractive on the Democratic ticket.

I hate to say this, but I believe this to be true: Barack Obama is the best Democrat candidate. Unfortunately, I feel the country's stature would be diminished with him as the Commander in Chief. Check my previous answers about Barack Obama and other candidates for a better understanding of my views on this.

I agree with all your points. I would add: 1. He's not a Clinton or a Bush. 2. He's not another white guy. 3. I believe the American people are desperate for a President who can offer them a sense of hope. Even false hope is better than none.

he makes sense to the voters and with some, share a kind bond it's also because he is different than the other candidates in many ways plus he could possibly become the first African American president which could possibly be a boost in our nation's "togetherness". Barack Obama gets everyone's point across and states what's really going on and the future issues we may face.

When the establishment has used it's power to control the media and downplay candidates and manipulate information for issues that they don't like, what makes Obama and his wife so out-standing to them?I'm also puzzled how he can be of Muslim heritage and be played as customary Afro-American.

Maybe someone with communication skills is just what we need. He has the ability to captivate and inspire people. Imagine if someone with eloquence and intelligence met with other world leaders. Don't you think that would be better met than a certain snickering, bumbling idiot?

When he speaks, he's not just reciting something that his people thought to be most appealing. He FEELS what he says, and his sincerity and passion make him a very attractive candidate.

It's not just his communication skills that has me. It's what he's actually saying.

And to those who think he appeals to only african americans, maybe you should check the polls. Black, white, green, blue, or violet - I don't care. It's not about his skin color, it's about the man he is.

And if you want to see that link that someone posted above, it's www.barackobama.com/issues. (His name isn't spelled Barrack)

Mr. Obama's charisma comes from, not only, his other attributes that you named so well, but also from the possibility of his being able to be "groomed" when he reaches higher offices. Most employers are looking for folks that will blend in well with what is already established, and not having so much experience that their training will do no good. That's just good business!

He not only looks good, talks good--but he is also the real deal! That is, he is not the typical Washington politician, and I think that most voters seem to want a totally NEW government. More than anything, we long for a president that can speak to us, lead us, inspire us, inform us and most of all, UNITE us again.

Totally agree, I could listen to him speak for hours, just because I like the sound of his voice. Every time I hear him speak, I feel like I've just opened a door to a dewy meadow and it's such a wonderful breath of fresh air. And he's consistent, he's young, he's intelligent, he's full of hopes and dreams for our country, he's the anti-Bush if you will.