Chris Cillizza, one of the Washington Post’s top political reporters, is here observing how in 2008 “former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee was all charisma — virtually exuding average Joe-ness through his every pore.” 

Candidates in 2012 will need that, he says. Michele Bachmann may just have it.

But here’s my question: Is a top reporter for the Washington Post, who by his own account lives and breathes the game of politics, supposed to be for that a reason a good judge of “average Joe-ness” in a candidate… or would he be, for that very same reason, an especially poor judge of average Joe-ness?

And don’t you think that’s a remarkable phrase: ”average Joe-ness?”