Given that everyone in the US, starting at least a level below State Governor, is basically required to play political hardball just to survive, why does anyone in the US believe anyone's "non-politician" or "non-insider" political marketing?

Even Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi knew how these things worked.

The best one can hope for are high functioning sociopaths who are somehow invested in the betterment of society -- basically Sherlock with better packaging. That's not to say there aren't real heroes and statesmen out there. Just good luck with distinguishing them from the hordes of sociopaths.

> Given that everyone in the US, starting at least a level below State Governor, is basically required to play political hardball just to survive, why does anyone in the US believe anyone's "non-politician" or "non-insider" political marketing?

Wishful thinking. Same reason a lot of people felt George W. Bush was someone they'd have a beer with, and considered this a relevant datum for supporting his presidency.

Schwarzenegger was basically elected as state governor off this notion. And it wasn't untrue so much as... stupid.

Chris Christie wouldn't have made it through the primaries. His polling numbers among the people who vote in primaries were not that good.

Yeah, he was always a leading favorite Republican candidate among non-Republicans. Primary voters? No way.

Aw, hell, if Chris Christie is "Republican Lite," what chance in hell is there for a non-sociopath Republican candidate?

To be fair, most of the "hardcore" conservatives are not sociopaths, they are just shallow ideologues :)

A true sociopath would appear to be a pragmatist, as that's the most practical approach.