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Jordan says the real issue is how the candidate handles the unsolicited-advice fire hose: "Does he trust his staff and his professional team or friends and family and random rich guys?" Though Jordan wouldn't confirm it, Kerry's 2004 staff allegedly took away the candidate's cell phone not once but twice to shield him from unauthorized counselors. Romney, a management consultant with PowerPoint instincts, seems to have resisted the Uncle Leos so far and has stuck with a fairly consistent campaign strategy--harp on the economy, bash Obama, run attack ads--through some rough primary patches.
Schmidt warns that in general the louder someone gives advice, the less likely he or she is to be heard. "You tend to pay the closest attention to people who offer advice discreetly and confidentially," he says. Not that everyone else will shut up. So, good luck plotting your strategy, Mitt. And by the way, have you considered wearing more earth tones? On second thought, a dark suit does look presidential ...