Commentary: ‘Likability’ is not a qualification for president

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., acknowledges applause in the Senate Chamber of the Massachusetts Statehouse, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, in Boston. Warren has taken the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. Applauding at far right is Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) My plea to the American electorate and the responsible media is to discard this question when evaluating the electability of possible presidential candidates.

The first reason to avoid this line of questioning is that it immediately puts…