Photos: Obama and Other Charismatic World Leaders

Obviously Hitler, Stalin and Mao were the most distructive charismatic leaders for their countries. Will Obama join this club?

Charisma is not always a force for good, as evidenced by Adolf Hitler, who certainly had the ability to stir the masses. On the more positive side, though, you could have included Frederick Douglass and Anwar Sadat.

Continuing with the infamous mentions that were charismatic nonetheless: Saddam Hussein. Joseph Stalin. Mao Zedong. David Koresh. Julius Caesar and Alexander of Macedonia were supposedly very charismatic, to include figures from the way back.

Pope John Paul II deservers to be included in your listing.

Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Etc; Why avoid the infamous ones?

Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Etc; Why avoid the infamous ones?

Two important ommissions: Jesus Christ and Mother Teresa.

What???s humorous is that Newsweek has listed only leaders it thinks have used charisma for good purposes. Of course, the key word is thinks. What good did Malcolm X ever accomplish? Cesar Chavez? Nelson Mandela? All 3 were radical revolutionaries, mostly of a Communist nature. Malcolm and Cesar achieved very little. Beyond the destruction he caused, Adolf Hitler was not only hugely charismatic (ever seen one of his speeches?), he brought change of a greater nature than most of the people in the list. Newsweek throws conservatives a bone with the Reagan choice, but to have a list of left-wingers in here as examples of charisma is a joke.

dirtdoctor , Newsweek hates Christians, so don't expect Jesus in this list. You're more likely to see Pol Pot than Jesus from the MSM.

What???s humorous is that Newsweek has listed only leaders it thinks have used charisma for ???good??? purposes. Of course, the key word is ???thinks???. What good did Malcolm X ever accomplish? Cesar Chavez? Nelson Mandela? All 3 were radical revolutionaries, mostly of a Communist nature. Malcolm and Cesar achieved very little. Beyond the destruction he caused, Adolf Hitler was not only hugely charismatic (ever seen one of his speeches?), he brought change of a greater nature than most of the people in the list. Newsweek throws conservatives a bone with the Reagan choice, but to have a list of left-wingers in here as examples of ???charisma??? is a joke.

What???s humorous is that Newsweek has listed only leaders it thinks have used charisma for ???good??? purposes. Of course, the key word is ???thinks???. What good did Malcolm X ever produce? Cesar Chavez? Nelson Mandela? All 3 were radical revolutionaries, mostly of a Communist nature. Malcolm and Cesar achieved very little
Beyond the destruction he caused, Adolf Hitler was not only charismatic(ever seen one of his speeches?), he brought change of a greater nature than most of the people in the list.
Newsweek throws conservatives a bone with the Reagan choice, but to have a list of left-wingers in here as examples of ???charisma??? is a joke.

sophsoccer--dick gregory, eldridge cleaver, shirley chisholm, jesse jackson, alan keyes-- all black, and all ran for president.

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You missed Jim Jones. He was charismatic.

A lot of the media has been quoting Abe Lincoln when speaking about Obama becoming the nation's first black president, but it can be inferred that Lincoln would not support this occasion. Lincoln was a supporter of abolition, not of equality between blacks and whites. Just read the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Also, have any other african americans attempted to run for president? If not, then Obama being elected isn't so historic in the sense that he was the first black to be elected; he's just the first to take the initiative to run for president. Please correct me if wrong.

The media has been quoting Abraham Lincoln when talking about the occasion of Obama becoming the nation's first black president. Lincoln supported abolition, but he did not believe that blacks should be equal to whites. He believed that they were inferior and should not hold public office. Therefore, it is unlikely that Lincoln would support Obama. Also, have any other blacks attempted to run for president? If not, then Obama being elected isn't as amazing as the fact that he is the only one to take that initiative.

How could you forget the person who changed this world more than any other person in history? Jesus Christ came, and will come again, changed this world forever.