The media sells bad news and misinformation but that does not stop people voting for someone. Research shows that if you are viewed as competent for the job people will vote for you even if they don't like you. Therefore Boris Johnsons comments about letter boxes and infidelity will only serve to raise his profile and when he needs to he will have an enormous audience to whom he will demonstrate his competence. He is already one of the few people who most people listen to when he gives a speach. People function emotionally and this usually trumps logic. Psychopaths who are less emotional are likely to think more logically or coldly and clinically and that is a trait leaders tend to possess. He has his superficial charm which makes him approachable and his buffoonery which allows people to relate to him. We also talk about how the halo effect and anchoring primes our emotional decision making.