What do Brown and Obama have in common?

Neither have an emotional bond with their electorate. Brown did have, with most of the Labour party following his 2005 conference speech. That's possibly one reason holding some back from getting rid. But he certainly doesn't have an emotional bond with the country - one consequence of the botched election.

Despite his better public image, Obama doesn't either. It's what the pollsters meant in the US after the Germany trip when they said that 'he hasn't sealed the deal'. I'm not sure he has an emotional bond with African Americans - see the criticisms of Jesse Jackson. He certainly doesn't have a bond with all Clinton supporters. And doesn't seem to have an emotional bond with white working class Americans.

Certainly neither's fortunes will improve without connecting emotionally with their key audiences.