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That's a fundamental problem with modern democracy - it doesn't optimize for talent, it optimizes for charisma.

Consider Clement Attlee, possibly the most influential PM of the 20th century (yes, even more so than Churchill or Thatcher) was fabulously uncharismatic being described by Thatcher as "all substance and no show":

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1194059/A-giant-ma...

"...when an interviewer asked if he had any thoughts about the coming general election, replied simply: 'No.'"

I need to have a beer with this guy.

I can recommend "Live from Downing Street" by Nick Robinson - it contrasts the media styles of all of the PMs (at least since there has been a "media" reporting on Parliament):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Downing-Street-Nick-Robinson/dp...

Personally, I think this country is long overdue a Attlee, Bevan or even a Thatcher - leaders who actually believed in something.

The famous jibe is along the lines of "An empty taxi drew up outside 10 Downing Street and Clement Attlee got out", attributed to Winston Churchill, but I think he denied it.

Churchill described Atlee as a modest man with much to be modest about.

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