Ben here.
First off, I love the debate and the various views already shared about Barack Obama’s type.  Check out the two previous posts to see for yourself.

Now let’s move on to Sarah Palin. Many people have asked me about her. Particularly, what happens if she becomes Vice President, McCain can’t fulfill his obligations as President, and she ends up running the country?  How is she likely to respond if she gets tweaked by the leader of a foreign country?

In the beginning, as I watched her acceptance speech and early interviews, my thought was she’s a Type Three. She impressed everyone in the first few days… she was the hot soccer mom with the coy wink that everyone could connect with, or at least wanted to connect with, and it looked like McCain had pulled a rabbit out of his hat.

As I continue to watch Sarah Palin and get under her surface, things are not so pretty. The image starts to fall apart. But it’s not that. It is the particular WAY that it fell apart which leads me to Type Six.

I’ve been debating this for the past few weeks with David Daniels, and I think I’ve got him convinced.

When I feel into Palin, I find the jittery anxiousness I associate with a Type Six. Unlike a Three, her delivery is not smooth under pressure. There is a confusing, circular logic when she speaks. Thoughts come quickly, often tumbling out one on top of the other.

For an example, check out this video of her interview with Katie Couric. By the way, you’ll see the Saturday Night Live version first. The real interview follows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE2gE-VVjBI

There is a wild streak in Palin. She is a “maverick” from way back. Breaking the rules and pushing the edge comes naturally to her. Helicopter gunner… moose obliterator… this is counter phobic Six behavior all the way!

Whatever you believe let your voice be heard.

We are on the edge, the tipping point. Our world will change tomorrow. Be part of that change.

Know that the consciousness you act with tomorrow will have an impact on how this nation changes over the next four years. When you cast your vote, please do it as an act FOR something, rather than an act that comes out of fear.

Be deliberate as you bring your consciousness, your thoughts, your intentions and focus on what you are creating with your vote, as opposed to rebelling against the alternative. When you give too much attention to what you resist, it just gets bigger. Take a stand for the future you want to live in.

It’s your power. Use it.

Ben

Okay, I admit it.  I know I’m not supposed to assign a type to someone else, but I can’t help it.  People keep asking me, “What type is Barack Obama?”

Every time I see him, I try to guess his type.  And it seems like all of the Enneagram folks I know are discussing it.  Aren’t you?

Well, here’s the current debate:  He’s a type 9 or a type 3.

What I’ve heard from those in the “He’s a 9″ camp is how calm and easy going, unflappable he is in every speech.  Sometimes he cannot be pinned down on a specific point because he wants more information, and he seems to be assessing multiple points of view.  He’s even been accused of “flip-flopping.”  Haven’t we heard that somewhere before?!

From the “He’s a 3″ camp, we can look to his resume as an example: Graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude, President of The Harvard Law Review, Columbia undergrad, professor, lawyer, community organizer… And that’s all before he got into politics!  Then look at his record of Senate participation and getting legislation passed–it’s pretty impressive.  Oh, and don’t forget the perfect, brilliant wife and beautiful children.  This man is only 47 years old.

I can see both perspectives and think they’re both pretty persuasive, but my take is that he is a 3. I think he appears like a 9 because that is the image he is projecting.  Calm, cool, and collected.  But in the debates, when McCain characterized him poorly, you could see his reaction.  His face flushed, his jaw tightened.  This isn’t someone whose anger is hidden from him.  This is someone who is managing his image, and doing a great job of it.  So that’s why I believe he’s not a 9.

But here’s what really convinces me he is a 3, the story about how he got together with his wife Michelle.  He relentlessly pursued her for their first date, even though it was frowned upon by the law firm where they both worked.  And do you know how he finally achieved that first date?  Charm.  He turned on that sweet, innocent, little boy quality that a 3 does so well.  After she had turned him down a number of times, he sweetly asked her if he could just buy her some ice cream.  Hmmmmm, attempting to melt her heart?

And finally, he radiates hope, the Holy Idea for type 3. His book, The Audacity of Hope, was one of those books…when I read it I was certain that anyone who read it would vote for him. His ability to inspire and create a sense of possibility allows many Americans to hope again. It is palpable.

What do you think?  We’d love to hear your perspective as we continue our own Presidential debate.