Do Photogenic Candidates Do Better Than "Plain" Ones?

[arwalden]

I have an apolitical aunt who admitted that she voted for Gore because she thought he was better looking than Bush.

Well... I can't fault her for that (much) at least she voted for Gore.

But I have to wonder if pretty candidates manage to take that "apolitical" and "visual-only" voting block? Does it matter? In a close election, can the goofy-guy with a bad haircut and big ears win, or will it hold him back?


-- Allen

[Woodstock]

1. This is one of those touchy subjects

But I think it's true. It sounds superficial to talk about looks. But the American people are largely superficial - look at the silly Britney nonsense. People who can't sing but look a certain way make millions and are worshiped. Sadly enough, people liked the way Bush looked - but comparing the pictures of 2000 with now, he has aged tremendously and his deeds have etched themselves onto his face (I guess there is nobody around who can do a portrait like Dorian Gray, or he'd have surely had one done.)

So yes, I've been wondering what they will make of our candidates. That's why I hope like hell Dean holds onto all of his hair in the next year, even if it means going to the Hair Club for Men and for goodness sake, get those teeth bleached, and smile more often; why I wish Kerry would lighten up and smile more often, loosen up and not seem so stiff, and learn to modulate his voice; and why Edwards might think about removing that mole on his lip that your eyes kind of gravitate to as you watch him speaking. Wesley Clark is beautiful just the way he is. :)

[Kahuna]

10. Agree...

Wesley Clark is beautiful just the way he is. :loveya:

[rucky]

2. Two Words:

Richard Nixon

[Woodstock]

4. Things have change, though, haven't they?

People seem more looks conscious than ever. Look at all of the plastic surgery. And they seem to positively worship actors and music stars.

[MuseRider]

3. Sad to say but

I think it does make a difference. My mother would do that. She figured if she had to look at him on TV for 4 years he had better be pleasant to look at. She also voted against accents. She could not stand Carter because of the way he talked. I would hope that this upcoming election will be too important for most people to vote their visual or auditory preferences.

[oneighty]

5. Yes they do.

180

[glarius]

6. If what you say is true we sure missed the boat here in Canada ..hahaha

Have you seen our Prime Minister? His face looks like somebody ran over it with a mack truck and his words are barely understandable in either official language!....LOL

[devarsi]

7. Prom King

Unfortunately, many people vote for President as if they were voting for the prom King or Queen. Looks, friendliness, charisma, voice, all play a part in our TV/Hollywood oriented world.

There's a scene in the movie "The Rat Pack" where the Sinatra character explains this principle to the Kennedy character, saying that people would never vote for Edward G Robinson over Jimmy Stewart, or something like that. We have images in our head that goodguys are good looking, and that bad guys are ugly.

There are exceptions, of course, even in the cinema, and we all know that this isn't at all the truth, but these stereo typical images persist, regardless of the truth.

I don't care if Quasimodo has the greatest platform, the most experience, and a slick campaign, the odds are overwhelming that he will not beat an empty head with a pretty face. As we have seen in 2000, stupidity can be managed away during the campaign. What would have really burried Bush would have been a big, fat pimple on his nose, a cancher sore on his lip, or a nasty, purple scar on his face.

It's pathetic, but it's where we live folks.

[scrutineer]

15. Correct

Americans vote for smiley faces.

:D:):-);-);):7B-):hi:

Like it or not, informed liberals will vote (typically) for Dems and informed(sic) conservatives will vote for Repugs, regardless of looks. But it’s the “swing voters” who essentially decide who wins elections, because the margins of victory are typically narrow enough.

And these “swing voters” are inattentive, overworked and overwhelmed, and/or easily duped by glossy soundbite-ridden media traffic.

Smiley faces WIN.

Sad, but true.

Live with it.

:D:):-);-);):7B-):hi:

[Devils Advocate NZ]

8. I'm surprised you even need to ask! The answer is YES.

In fact it is a scientific certainty, and here's why: Natural Selection.

Studies have shown that certain facial and body features are considered "attractive" because they denote health and success. These tendencies developed durng the period of humanity when the ability to kill animals or give birth to healthy children were essential for survival.

We humans are just like any other animal - we are attracted to the mate who is most likely going to be successful at sustaining life for themselves, their mates, and their offspring.

What this translates into today is an unconcious expectation that "beautiful" people are more successful than "ugly" people, and thus "beautiful" people are treated as alpha males and females. They are automatically given better treatment, and are expected to be better people than those not gifted with these physical traits.

When it comes to voting, this means that you trust and respect the "handsome" candidate more regardless of what he actually says, especially if you do not think too deeply about it, which of course describes a significant segment of society.

The BBC recently made series called "Human Instinct" with Professor Robert Winston that explained these instinctual reactions in one of the episodes. If you ever get a chance to see it, or "The Human Body", the other series from Professor Winston, I recommend it heartily. These are probably the best documentaries on human physiology and instincts ever made. Here is a link to a description of "Human Instinct":

http://www.bbcfactual.co.uk/human_instinct.htm#Deepest Desires

[BelgianMadCow]

25. I saw those on cable, great stuff !

So looks matter, and it's an instinct, so no need to be superficial to let looks play their part. It's what we are.

Fortunately, we aren't entirely instinctive.

[Clete]

9. Well, somebody voted for Trafficant.

And he won, didn't he?

[rucky]

11. Dude I would totally vote for Xena

She's hawt and kicks butt!

[Clete]

13. Excuse me but I'm a dudess.

I think I need to change the spelling of my DU name.;-)

[BelgianMadCow]

29. please stop flaunting that picture :-)

you are making some of us dizzy

[Clete]

32. Hey she represents my female, liberal, warrior heart and

she's a helluva lot better looking than I am.:-)

[shimmergal]

37. Clete, I love your Xena pic.

I can identify with your reasons for using it, too.
Please don't dump the picture!

[uptohere]

38. Crazy about Zena, the pic stays !

[TahitiNut]

12. "Pretty" = "Successful"

Repeated studies have shown a very strong correlation between physical attractiveness and 'success'. A study of lawyers has shown that 'attractive' attorneys earn markedly more after five years than 'ugly' attorneys. The gap widens even more after 15 years. A University of Texas survey indicates that 'attractive' people are hired ahead of 'unattractive' people and receive better pay increases, almost independent of skills and experience. We habitually (instinctually?) tend to associate health, intelligence, and honesty with appearance. I don't believe it's accidental from a 'natural selection' viewpoint, but it's certainly becoming less reliable.

[comradebillyboy]

14. yes

[dofus]

16. The other thing that matters

at least as much as facial attractiveness in presidential candidates is height. Almost always the taller of the two (R & D) candidates wins the election.

Kerry is very tall. Dean is about 5'9", having stood face to face with him. Pleasant looking, but not tall. Bush is anyway 6' tall. Isn't Kucinich pretty short?

Anyway, if we want a Dem to win in 04, we should all rally behind only those candidates who are taller than Bush. And better looking. Unfortunately, the tall Kerry sort of looks like Lurch in The Addams Family. Clark is quite nice looking. How tall is he?

It's sad, isn't it. I can hardly believe I'm posting about looks and height, rather than a reasoned analysis of each candidate's positions.

[thebigidea]

17. what an insane post

it reminds of the Monty Python skit...

Interviewer: Hello. On 'Archaeology Today' tonight I have with me Professor Lucien Kastner of Oslo University.

Kastner: Good evening.

Interviewer: How tall are you, professor?

Kastner: ... I beg your pardon?

Interviewer: How tall are you?

Kastner: I'm about five foot ten.

Interviewer: ... and an expert in Egyptian 'tomb paintings. Sir Robert... (turning to Kastner) are you really five foot ten?

Kastner: Yes.

Interviewer: Funny, you look much shorter than that to me. Are you slumped forward in your chair at all?

Kastner: No, er I...

Interviewer: Extraordinary. Sir Robert Eversley, who's just returned from the excavations in El Ara, and you must be well over six foot. Isn't that right, Sir Robert?

Sir Robert: (puzzled) Yes.

Interviewer: In fact, I think you're six foot five aren't you?

Sir Robert: Yes.

(Applause. Sir Robert looks up in amazement.)

Interviewer: Oh, that's marvellous. I mean you're a totally different kind of specimen to Professor Kastner. Straight in your seat, erect, firm.

Sir Robert: Yes. I thought we were here to discuss archaeology.

Interviewer: Yes, yes, of course we are, yes, absolutely, you're absolutely right! That's positive thinking for you. (to Kastner) You wouldn't have said a thing like that, would you? You five-foot-ten weed. (he turns his back very ostentatiously on Kustner)

--

the end is great:

Kastner: Can I please speak! I came all the way from Oslo to do this programme! I'm a professor of archaeology. I'm an expert in ancient civilizations. All right, I'm only five foot ten. All right my posture is bad, all right I slump in my chair. But I've had more women than either of you two! I've had half bloody Norway, that's what I've had! So you can keep your Robert Eversley! And you can keep your bloody Watutsi! I'd rather have my little body... my little five-foot-ten-inch body... (he breaks down sobbing)

Sir Robert: Bloody fool. Look what you've done to him.

Interviewer: Don't bloody fool me.

Sir Robert: I'll do what I like, because I'm six foot five and I eat punks like you for breakfast.

[DarbyUSMC]

27. Dana Carvey said his mother voted for Clinton because he reminded her

of Elvis. No denying that he has the Elvis voice.

I think you need to go way back and think about how people are attracted to the opposite sex. They say that cave men picked out women who would make the best looking, sturdiest, most able to survive babies. The women would make themselves be noticed by the best looking, best hunter or bravest of the bunch. It's all in human nature. The survival of the fittest (or insert best looking and with a face that is symmetrical.)

[Woodstock]

33. I feel the same way

Silly stuff. But we need some of the superficial Tonight Show watching crowd to vote for our side.

Pleasant looking vs. Lurch. If either had Wesley Clark as VP, that would help, I think he's pleasant looking and tall.

God knows what the DLC is thinking backing Lieberman. His wrinkles have etched themselves into this sleepy pattern. I can imagine him selling lots of sleep aids, but our party to voters? Not in a million years.

[Kamika]

18. Yes it matters

It matters ALOT.

[haymaker]

20. Only to nose-pickers, k-drags, and

the your average inbreeder and mouth breather.

[Kamika]

23. Problem is..

They can vote

[haymaker]

26. Who cares, they get what they deserve.

Ugly or not, the Dem candidate cannot stop Bush from stealing this election. You see, the electorate are basing their decisions on lies, and fear, and disinformation, and bigotry, and hate, and vengence. And with the help of a few voting machines, it's a done deal.

Best get prepared for the whirlwind. I truly think that Americans are so stupid, ignorant, and grrrrreedy that nothing sinks in to their lazy-ass brains. Not everyone, but enough.

Fuck 'em.

[mitchum]

19. of course

[waggawagga]

21. I Don't Think it's That Simple

There used to be a rule that the taller candidate won but Bush beat Gore (wait, maybe that rule is still operative).

The guy with the smileys got it right. Americans will always vote for the candidate who seems happier, confident, and optimistic.

I don't think that correlates neatly with classic good looks.

[waggawagga]

22. Which political contest matched the two biggest uggos?

Whattya say? Johnson vs. Goldwater or Humphrey vs. Nixon?

[sendero]

24. In the media age...

... you ARE what you look like. Anyone who thinks that appearance doesn't affect votes is a first class deludinoid.

[stickdog]

28. The most important key to national political success in the TV age:

a big head.

Literally.

[jumptheshadow]

30. Does anybody recall this?

I seem to remember a study(?) that came out just before the last presidential election. Its conclusion was that candidates who had more "positive" personalities almost always prevailed over their more dour competitors in presidential contests.

Of course, Nixon was a huge exception.

I would think that looks would have something to do with the projection of a more "positive" image, right?

I haven't been successful at googling up a website with information on the study. I'm probably not coming up with the right search terms.

I remember it fairly well because the implication seemed to be that Gore would not win.

[dofus]

35. In the Nixon vs Humphrey

matchup neither guy was particularly handsome. Nixon won because Humphrey didn't separate himself and his probably policies from Johnson sufficiently. Nixon's campaign staff also came up with a good enough slogan. I forget the exact wording, but something about coming together again. It worked.

I also suspect Nixon was taller.

[AP]

31. All other things even, of course it does. But all other things are NEVER..

...even.

If you have two candidates that a voter can't see distinctions between (say, Gore and Bush, for many people not really paying attention) then some might chose the better looking candidate. Your aunt is a case in point.

However, if you're uglier, and you find other ways to distinguish yourself (military service, great personality, a message which is totally in synch with the prevailing mood in the country) those things will make up for not being pretty.

So, if you're ugly, you better work on some other aspect of your political persona.

Take Cruz Bustamante, for instance. He ain't handsome, but he has a great speaking voice, and he says great things in a really appealing way.

[uptohere]

34. by and large... OF COURSE

there are always exceptions (Bela Abzug springs to mind) but since newspapers became common place and most especially since TV, its difficult to get far politically without reasonable looks.

[Maine Mary]

36. It may be true...to a degree

But I lost my race for State Rep. TWICE before I finally defeated an old unnattractive guy. And I had to work my butt off to do it. Everyone who served during my first term knew the story of how I defeated a 10 term R in a Republican district, but during my second term, some of the new freshman didn't know. I had one who had the gaul to imply that I won BECAUSE of my appearance w/out knowing a thing about me or my district. :grr:

She had pie in her face once an aquaintance who overheard her explained who I had defeated. Everyone knew who he was, so it was more then a little pleasing to see her face turn beet red. :-)

[arwalden]

39. Defeating The Seasoned Incumbent Is TRULY An Accomplishment, Mary...

Congratulations on that! I didn't know the whole story behind your success. The incumbent almost ALWAYS has the advantage. Good on you! Very impressive.

-- Allen

[Maine Mary]

43. Thanks

:-)

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

40. Yep

A women I know voted for Shrub because of that "rugged cowboy style" and "delicious Texas twang"

:scared:

[arwalden]

41. Isn't That One Of The Saddest Things You've Ever Heard??

-- Allen

[theboss]

42. Absolutely

Everyone has heard the story of how those who watched the Kennedy-Nixon debates on tv believed Kennedy had won them, while those who listened to them on the radio believed the Nixon had done better. Presentation is probably 75 percent of politics.

Though I do think it is bad to be "too attractive," because you then run into the "airhead" problem.