Spotted in the paper regarding Jalal Talabani, president of Iraq:

Large and gregarious, with a dominant and energetic personality that belies his 72 years, he is widely regarided as Iraq's most talented retail politician.

Is this phrase (or the analogous 'retail politics') a familiar one?

In the absence of any explanation of the meaning, it's nonsense to me.

In the sense of selling "product" to "the consumer," it makes sense if he's sold himself to the public at large.

Perhaps he's just for sale to the highest bidder. Isn't that what politics is all about?

Tinman