Between election cycles he did a lot of lower key events which were small audience and video was just someone's home camera or whatever, he was much more relaxed, when I saw him in the debate cycle I didn't see plastic as normal I just marked it off to being a front runner surrounded by seven opponents all aiming every gun his way. He was also a lot more relaxed back in '08 too, IMO anyway.

But this is kinda what happened with Dole, he was seen as uber-stiff during the campaign, and people who knew him said that he was pretty relaxed but everyone dismissed it as random positive remarks from friends, but after it was over and the pressure was off he made jokes and and seemed human, same as Bush Sr. He wasn't exactly joking around and nearly giggling in those others but then he was talking to an audience still, very relaxed, good answers, good rapport, I'd like to see more of him like that but I think at this point he is typecast as plastic-man.