The courtiers of the Italian Renaissance placed high value on what
they called sprezzatura, which I would define as "a seemingly
effortless manner in the successful performance of difficult tasks."
For a more full blown definition, see

http://wso.williams.edu/~espence/sprezzmeaning.html.

JFK and Eliot Richardson had sprezzatura. Richard Nixon, Hubert
Humphrey and Howard Dean did not. The late Everett Dirksen, yes. Tom
DeLay, no.

Bill Gates has sprezzatura. Donald Trump does not.

Those who accuse John Kerry of being willing to do or say anything to
get elected are, in effect, saying he is bereft of sprezzatura.

Remember the straight-A students in college whom you never actually
saw studying? They had sprezzatura. (Unless, of course, you're too
young to remember tha days before rampant grade inflation.)

To what degree do you think the American voter recognizes and values
sprezzatura in its candidates? Do you think that the office of the
presidency automatically confers sprezzatura on the incumbent such
that it is only his to lose? How would you rate George W. Bush in this
arena? Is there anything inherently admirable about possessing
sprezzatura, or is it simply a genetic trait that is otherwise
unlearnable?

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Clarification of Question by nautico-ga on 31 Oct 2004 07:55 PST

Sprezzatura seems to come from a kind of transcending self-confidence
that's more characteristic of bluebloods like Eliot Richardson than of
equally successful people like Ross Perot. If you had to scratch out a
living in your early years, those memories will remain embedded in
your psyche, and you'll probably never be able to assume an air of
casual indifference. One of the most dramatic examples of this in the
media are Rush Limbaugh and Bill Buckley, and they're on the same side
of the idealogical fence. Rush is self-consciously strident, Buckley
just as self-consciously "cool." If Rush lost his job, one wonders
what he would do. If Bill lost his, he'd go sailing.

Perhaps sprezzatura is like obscenity: it may be resistent to precise
definition, but we know it when we see it. We also recognize its
opposite, and we demonstrate that when we say about someone "He tries
too hard."

nautico-ga: What an interesting and original question! IMHO, it
strikes me as a valuable tool for a politician, but not totally
necessary, nor often seen.
  Bush? A definite maybe. Does the voting public recognize it? Again
IMHO, I believe they do, perhaps subconsciously, and do value it. It
may be one of those important intangibles that sway voters. Can it be
learned? Only by politicians who are also great actors. Otherwise, it
is unlearnable.
monroe22