Romney Lets Guard Down, Boosts Appeal

Mitt Romney's inner nerd is showing, and allowing voters to see it may make him seem likable enough to get elected, Time reports. The candidate's conservative attack dog persona flooded airwaves for months but didn't play well outside of Michigan; now, the tired candidate is letting his dweeby, number-crunching, spreadsheet-loving self out.

The nerdy private-equity whiz may just win over recession-scared voters with his talk of "working in the real economy." The McCain and Huckabee camps have branded him a rich phony, but they haven't counted on his well-honed ability to tailor a product to an audience. He may not be used to the product of being himself, but he appears to be learning. (More Mitt Romney stories.)