Political beauty contest

Politics, or at least the "face of politics" and therefore inevitably a major disproportionate draw card for a political agenda, has been the charisma of their leader. Kennedy, Regan, Clinton, and Obama (as the first black man) in the, media driven politics of the US whilst we have Thatcher(the first women), Blair and now Farage. 

Does this indicate an inherent weakness, both in us and the democratic process ?
If we can be won over by style rather than substance, putting the vote in our hands becomes a shallow lottery.   Of course the performer always is there to convince his audience, be it in the theatre and the fictional part he plays, or in the pulpit of a church or the hustings of a political meeting. We are all swayed by a good performance and the message is as much a work of art than a series of propitiations, worked through in detail about matters concerning our public well being.
Democracy survives if we believe that the political establishment have our best interests at heart and that a particular party are best able to provide for us but if we simply vote for a person with charisma, paying little heed to the argument and debate, then democracy is little more than a beauty contest.       

http://twocents2012.blogspot.com.au/