I think the main problem with this is fragmentation. The base of phones is not as consistent as the base of consoles, and because of lack of upgradability is in many ways even more fragmented than the installed PC base. The market of phones is itself extremely fragmented.

But I think eventually we’ll see Nintendo or competitors release something like the 3DS 2 which is its own portable console.

The thing about the Newt is that I don’t think keeping him in the conversation keeps the Tea Party noise offstage. I think it’s already in there, and that’s why Newt has flip-flopped on numerous issues already, namely medicare, cap and trade, and climate change and the government’s involvement in preventing it. (I will let his flip flop on his own marriages go– that’s not a Tea Party issue, and people do after all break apart, except he was having affairs similar in nature to a Democrat with good hair four years ago, and he isn’t being similarly excoriated about it, because Republicans are allowed to repent) These flip flops are already a result of the Tea Party already affecting even “mainstream” Republican candidates’ platforms. So I wouldn’t exactly say that the conversation has stayed away from Tea Party crazy-town.

It’s funny that in the few debates that I saw, it was mysterious libertarian Ron Paul who seemed like he had the best ability to speak about his platform in a rational and intelligent way. He even seemed professorial (which is the space that Gingrich has now assumed). I wouldn’t discount Tea Party crazy-town quite yet.

I’ve talked with one or two other folks in town, and my understanding is that the DC Circuit is forcing the FCC to get the cojones to classify internet as title II (phone carriers).

Now, to the merits of your argument. My objective was not to comment on Jindal’s appearance (although, many professionals have described him as a “Boy Wonder”). I was commenting on his style. For certain, appearance is part of one’s style, but it melds with other important aspects, like tone, cadence, word choice, etc. So many different elements go into ability to communicate and connect. I don’t claim to have those skills… but I do claim that Obama has them. He has them in a way that Sen. Kerry did not, nor Vice President Gore before him.

Political Scientists talk about the “have a beer” factor in determining Presidential elections. Simply stated, American’s vote for the guy/gal they would most like to share a beer with. Personally, I think it’s an oversimplified metric… but it gets to what I’m talking about; that ability to connect to all walks of life.

I once felt as you do… that we should elect President’s solely on the basis of substance. But as I’ve matured since those heady days when I voted for Ralph Nader, I’ve come to realize that the qualities of leadership are more than the set described by substance. I’m still trying to figure out what the right balance is, and perhaps history will prove out that Obama was more style than substance, I think it’s entirely too early to tell.

What I can say, right now, is if Jindal plans to be a threat to the Democrats in 2012, he’s going to need to develop that skill of communicating and connecting a great deal more than was on display the night of his rebuttal.