# What's more important in a leader - character or issues?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-a-leader-character-or-issues/264131>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 12, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-a-leader-character-or-issues/264131 "2004-09-12T13:25:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-a-leader-character-or-issues/264131/41 "2004-09-19T20:45:11Z")

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> [@shy guy](#):
>
> In what way? Please feel free to correct me.
> 
> _Why_? Are you a political masochist or something? Seriously, I want to know how you could justify voting for a candidate who will be actively working against your views.

You’ve changed the scenario by adding additional variations. As for being a political masochist, I’ll treat that contempt with the remark it deserves.

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**Author:** ![NewHeart\_Male](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@NewHeart\_Male](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NewHeart_Male)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-a-leader-character-or-issues/264131/42 "2004-09-20T00:19:35Z")

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> [@qts](#):
>
> You’ve changed the scenario by adding additional variations. As for being a political masochist, I’ll treat that contempt with the remark it deserves.

Didn’t you get contempt and remark mixed up?

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**Author:** ![NewHeart\_Male](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@NewHeart\_Male](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NewHeart_Male)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-a-leader-character-or-issues/264131/43 "2004-09-20T00:24:33Z")

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> [@msmith537](#):
>
> Well, that’s your choice I suppose. Good luck with that.
> 
> It’s not an issue of “morality”. Personally, I would not want someone handling my affairs who constantly indulged in an addictive mind-altering substance.

Well, you did say

> [@](#):
>
> Would you invest with a stockbroker who cheats on his wife? Or does drugs during his free time? Regardless of his performance in the market?

Which implies that even though he’s really good at what he does, he has these additional “habits” on the side.

In which case NO, I would not have any problem with his personal choices in life - so long as he made me my money.

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**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-a-leader-character-or-issues/264131/44 "2004-09-20T04:45:58Z")

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> [@qts](#):
>
> You’ve changed the scenario by adding additional variations. As for being a political masochist, I’ll treat that contempt with the remark it deserves.

I asked you to give an example in which your scenario makes any sense at all, which you haven’t. I’ve demonstrated why I think your position makes absolutely no sense, so please, enlighten me as to why it does. I’m very interested to know how you can justify voting for a candidate actively working against your views.

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