KEY POINTS:
Here's a primer for the modern British politician: smile a lot, give short, punchy answers to questions, mingle easily with the public, and always pretend to be enjoying it.
Or you can try it the Gordon Brown way. The rumpled British Prime Minister rarely smiles, even though his handlers have tried to teach him how. He fills his speeches with obscure policy proposals, often appears uncomfortable with voters, and rarely seems happy.
And that was in the good old days, during his brief political honeymoon, before he had to deal with a global financial crisis and a simultaneous rebellion in his Labour Party. His authority ebbing, he faces crunch time as the party's annual convention gets under way.
Brown's poll standing has gone from bad to horrendous, with the opposition Conservative Party enjoying its highest ratings since the glory days of Margaret Thatcher.
Some Labour members are in open revolt, raising doubts about whether he can stay in power long enough to fight the next election in under two years.
"He has been greatly damaged," acknowledges Paul Flynn, a Labour Party parliamentarian from Wales who believes Brown shouldn't be forced out right now. "He's at the very bottom of popularity.
But he's dealing with an unprecedented world crisis, almost the collapse of capitalism, and he should do it without having to watch his back."
In British politics prime ministers can be ousted as party leader any time by their legislators and be replaced with a new prime minister.
