I actually like Ted and would be hard-pressed to pick another guy in government whose policies are closer to my own personal political ideals than his, but I did not caucus for him precisely because of the things you just said. He's too goofy-looking, gentlemanly, and his Texan accent doesn't help either. He'd probably crush Hillary in a debate intellectually, but that's not what those things are about.

Trump couldn't have been any more vague about most of his policies in the Republican debates, but he drove anti-establishment bloodlust through the roof by belittling Jeb and being himself rather than attempting to mimic all the political polish of his opponents. People are fickle, and most don't know enough about our system of government to even understand half of the policy arguments, hence why I don't think Ted's debate skill does him any good against Hillary. Trump serves the visceral, angry voter. If he can reel it back in, as you say, he might end up being exactly what the Republican party needs this election.