If it's important enough for Lapid to do it, it's important enough for voters to take note.

Did Shamir or Begin stand on stools? or were they not able to lead without these tricks?

It's a question of whether his focus on image is at the expense of substance.

"and said that attacking him for something so irrelevant hurts Israel's ability to make significant changes (though he does not say how).
"

Because it makes people nasty, defensive, and say inane things like "It's a question of whether his focus on image is at the expense of subtance."

Focus on whether or not the ideas are correct, not the people. Calling two party heads with different values and goals "brother" just adds to this problem actually.

It would be nice if people were willing to talk about the messages rather than the messengers.

Hi anon.

I don't think you know the meaning of the word inane.

if a politician plays tricks with his style in an effort to manipulate voter's emotions, it's not unreasonable at all to wonder if their policies are also manipulated for political gain rather than for the interest of voters.
and in Lapid you have a made for tv politician, someone who manipulates his style and policies, apparently for points, not for the populace. Note his transition from tv journalist by day to black tshirt wearing activist by night, with coiffed hair.. sometimes a leather jacket... tom cruise wannabe. but his policies now have shifted from tshirt man because political expediency demands it.

not inane in the slightest. probably the most realistic thing about lapid is this stool as an example of style over substance.

or perhaps a nickname for lapid could be, the tool with a stool.

Bonaparte was also short, and look what he did. I really don't think this is so terrible; people are 'pulling at straws', just attack him for his policies and be done with it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1191798/Sarkozy-steps-podium-French-President-uses-footstool-prove-hes-Brown-Obamas-equal.html

This isn't new - politicians have known for a long time how much image matters, and how people subconsciously make decisions based on superficial things like height. In 1988 Muchael Dukakis stood on a riser behind the podium for his debates with George Bush because he wanted to appear to be Bush's height.
http://articles.philly.com/1988-10-05/news/26272316_1_vice-presidential-candidates-bush-dukakis-tough-questions