In an ideal world, an idea well reasoned with facts and logic should be able to persuade most if not all of its worth.But in the real world, most men and women are not inherently rational creatures but a mix of emotion and reason. So an argument is won not just on its merits but also how well it is articulated.
In a democratic system, the individual/party who can persuade a majority to vote for its policies has the power to implement the policies irrespective of its merits. So having the right message is not enough. It is equally important to have the right messenger. A good messenger is one who has ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos refers to the character or integrity of the person who is making the argument. Pathos is the ability to appeal to the emotions of the audience and make them identify with the messenger/message. Logos is the logic and reasoning of the argument supported with facts.
To sum up, for an idea to win critical and popular acceptance, both the message and messenger are important.
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