How looks play a roll in getting to be president.

[PurpHaze69]

Look, I understand that issues are what's important. But let's face facts, we live in an MTV world. It's shallow, but true. Anybody who looks like Lieberman, or even Dean with his missing upper lip has no shot in winning this election.

My wife, who's not big into politics and perfers to live in her own little world sat down with me to watch the democratic debate this past weekend. When she saw Clark she commented about what a good looking man he is. This is one reason, and I say ONE reason Bill Clinton got so much of the women vote. Let's be honest with ourselves, yes G.W. looks like a retarded monkey, but he's better looking than Al Sharpton, or Lieberman. Most of these democratic candidates don't have a chance in hell. I'm not saying this because I'm some kind of die hard Clark supporter, I'll be honest, he doesn't have the best ideas and he's not that polished, but in reality, he's got the best chance to win. He's good looking acording to my wife, he's tall, and he's got a resume that makes G.W. look like the retarded monkey he is.

[Catherine Vincent]

1. Hahaha!!

I have heard how Bush* looks like a monkey, but this is the first time someone said he looks like a RETARDED monkey. Btw, Clark is not that tall.

[maha]

2. "Television presence" is more important than looks, IMO

Or smarts, either, unfortunately.

Gore is handsomer and taller than Bush, and a damn sight smarter, but he struggled in the debates against Bush because he has very poor television presence. Bush stood there and drooled while Gore struggled mightily to win points, and the focus groups of the clueless would give the "win" to Bush every time. As I remember, after every debate Gore lost polling points.

Most of our candidates have good television presence, but I think Dean does put some people off a bit by seeming combative and/or edgy.

We've had some really ugly presidents in the past, btw. Abraham Lincoln does come to mind.

[leetrisck]

9. I actually like the combativeness

in Dean - actually in any of them. There's no doubt a lot of people vote on appearance and the way polls tell them to vote. Sad to say, but true.

[maha]

15. I like it, too,

but in talking to others, including liberal others, I've learned it doesn't always come across as a good thing.

[kentuck]

3. "roll" or "role"

?? :)

[jonoboy]

4. its true

but whenever I saw Bush on TV I thought surely Americans will not vote for this dullard, he looks dumb, he can't win.

But then of course he did win !

Oh no, that's right, he didn't win.

[omshanti]

5. Dean has a certain charisma...

I find the Dr. incredibly sexy.
Can't explain why.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. Dean's got an uphill fight in the looks department

literally and otherwise.

[shanti]

21. oh please

you are full of it. there's nothing wrong with dean's looks, and as far as his "upper lip", how many white people do you see everyday with lips like his? shoot, chimpy has the same (non)lips.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

28. I could really launch into a tirade and get into all his "faults"

but I'll just leave it at the least subjective one- that he is much shorter than Bush.

[incapsulated]

7. I think it's more than just looks

It's the overall projection. Gore, a charming man by all accounts off camera, always seemed stiff and awkward, even though he is better looking (and taller) than Bush. Clinton was master of his space in every way, in addition to being handsome.

I think Bush gave off (eventually) the "I'm just an everyguy" kind of vibe that voters responded favorably to, especially men. When alongside Gore, he seemed far more relaxed, once he stopped stuttering and memorized his lines.

[corarose]

8. I think that Edwards looks can get him elected

Dumbya is one hell of an UGLY bugger and I would take Al Sharpton over him anyday.

[incapsulated]

11. If looks were all that counted...

Edwards would be in the lead. :)

There is obviously more to it than good looks.

[leetrisck]

13. Have actually heard pundits say "Edwards is too

good looking and too young looking" to win. Kerry is too "French looking" - the pundits think all our candidates are "too something" to win and none of it has anything to do with issues.

[NewJeffCT]

14. I think Bush is ugly

But, I have heard women comment that they like Dumbya's slim trim physique as opposed to the doughy Clinton.

[corarose]

26. Slim??

He is as fat as a PIG!

[hedda_foil]

10. Let's put the tallness angle to bed NOW!

Also the HQ (Handsomeness Quotient)

Dean and Clark Head to Head (literally)


They're the same height, though Dean may actually have an inch on Clark. They're also both very attractive men. (Though I prefer Dean's body type to Clark, but that's totally personal.)

(on edit to substitute larger version of same pic)

[sangh0]

12. Dean uses a riser

I don't know about Clark, but I read that in at least one debate, Dean used a riser.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. good luck to Dean approaching Bush as Gore did in the 3rd debate

yeah that'll show the people who's the "bigger" man.

[hedda_foil]

24. Bullshit. He's 5'9" ... and I've stood next to him!

[sangh0]

25. Dean used a riser

I don't care how tall he is. He used a riser.

[devinsgram]

16. Clark & Edwards take the best looking award,

any day of the week and Americans due tend to vote on looks more than substance. There have been studies that prove where a good looking person will have more of a chance to get a good paying job, regardless of the experience. It's really awful to say, but we are a vain society. I don't think it's all our fault. I blame Wall Street. It's all about looks, like it or not.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

18. Looks and height matter to a very small percentage of the public

but 1 or 2% is enough to sway the election as we have seen.

[Lady President]

27. Subconscious level

I don't think many people would admit that looks matter to them, but there have been studies showing that more attractive people get more promotions, are perceived to be smarter, etc. Even here there have been a couple threads lately about Mrs. Bush's looks.

For a candidate I think it's more important to have a neat and tailored appearance rather than being sterotypically attractive. Personally, I think Edwards and Clark are the best looking. I also think that Kerry has that intangible "presidential" look.

[Catherine Vincent]

20. I agree.

[maggrwaggr]

19. Looks play a big part in ALL walks of life, not just this

If you're good looking you do better. If you're tall, you do better.

It's human nature.

[CMT]

22. I find nothing wrong with Dean's looks

as for Clark I think he sounds alot like Bush and that is a bit of a turn-off but I'll vote for him anyway.

[jrthin]

23. I agree. Unfortunately, that's

the hard, cold reality many in the dem party fail to accept and come to grip with.

[OldSoldier]

29. Looks have played a big part since the 1960 election

They've always played a part, but 1960 was the first "television election."

Kennedy and Nixon debated. Kennedy wore makeup. Nixon refused. The public thought Kennedy looked "youthful" and Nixon "tired." Kennedy was elected.

Max Factor: kingmaker.

As shallow as this sounds, if we have two equally-qualified candidates, the better-looking one will get the nod. Then he has to campaign not only against Chimpy, but Pillboy, Hannity and O'Reilly.

Our candidate will stomp Chimpy in any real debate, "real" not being "Mr. Democratic Candidate, tell us in one minute your plan for eliminating AIDS, world hunger, war, poverty and the heartbreak of psoriasis, then Mr. pResident, tell us in five minutes about the excitement of landing a jet fighter on the deck of the Abraham Lincoln while we play The Stars and Stripes Forever and put up a background image of patriotic Americans waving flags." Getting past Pillboy's manufactured rage regarding how terribly the Boy King was treated in the debate by the Democrat Candidate (oh my, he pointed out that the anthrax terrorist was still at large, Osama was still at large and Saddam was still at large and he didn't genuflect while proclaiming the rousing success our troops in Iraq are having) is going to be another story.