Rick Santorum's Tragic Yearbook Photo

[The Straight Story]

Rick Santorum's Tragic Yearbook Photo

Lots of candidates have embarrassing things in their past that they'd hate to have flare up in the middle of a presidential campaign. I think we can safely conclude that we have found Rick Santorum's! At the right, cast your eyes upon the tragedy that is Santorum's high school year book photo--specifically, Carmel High School in Mundelein, Illinois, in 1976. (The picture is from Chris Good's compilation of high school year book photos of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates--it's not pretty, although I recommend clicking through.)


A quick office straw poll here at The Atlantic, conducted amidst uproarious laughter, confirms that this is, in fact, the single worst year book photo that most of us have ever seen. An outright disaster. I suppose it's Santorum's misfortune to have been in high school during this era. I'm pretty sure that 1976 wasn't too kind to anyone. But still. Wow--he looks like McLovin in polyester. I have yet to meet the political consultant talented enough to spin this one. My condolences to Santorum. Brave of him to have struggled through this and made something of this life.



http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/05/rick-santorums-tragic-yearbook-photo/239515/

[Deep13]

1. He was voted "Most Likely to Have Something Really Disgusting Named After Him." nt

[DearAbby]

2. Snarf

:spray::rofl:

[CTyankee]

3. You'd think he'd be kinda embarrassed...

[hifiguy]

4. WTF??

:wow:

That is OUT THERE even for then, and I turned 20 that year. I have worn goonier looking outfits in my life (satin shirt, jeans made to look like they were made entirely out of patches, Frye boots), but I was on stage with a band back in the 1970s when I did so and had a stylish (for the day) shoulder-length shag. That haircut is a catastrophe within a disaster topped by an abomination.

Even then he looked like the kind of guy you'd see trolling the local Greyhound station for runaways. :wtf:

[gratuitous]

7. Yep, the haircut is the worst aspect

I, too, graduated high school in 1976, and I had a respectable mid-1970s hair style (and no, you'll never see it, O assembled masses of DU). That grotesquerie on Santorum's head totally betrays the sideburns.

:wtf: indeed.

[The Wielding Truth]

5. "made something of this life" I think he must be worse now.

[SmileyRose]

6. I apologize for the unrecommend.

It's on The Atlantic, not you. I have a goal in life to "unsupport" anyone who laughs at how someone looks (unless of course that someone is TRYING to look funny).

And yes, I know the Atlantic is being lighthearted.

[damntexdem]

8. There's nothing wrong with his yearbook photo. The Atlantic's claim is disgusting.

There IS, however, very much the wrong with Santorum.

[LynneSin]

11. Seriously, they all looked like that back in the 70s

I find this attack a bit wretched.

[yellowcanine]

14. I agree. Looks like a typical 70s graduation picture to me.

I hope my 70s wedding pictures never end up on the internet. Yech!

[AngryOldDem]

27. It is.

I'm sure that if I pulled out my yearbook from 1976, 95% of the boys in the senior class would look exactly like that. All the rest would look like a prototype of Jeff Spicoli from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

Hell, I think most people would consider their 1970s-era graduation pic tragic, given the (lack of) fashion sense in that decade.

[Very_Boring_Name]

23. I agree. If they think that's "the worst yearbook photo we've ever seen" they need a copy of

my mom and dad's yearbook photos, who both graduated in the same year.

[sufrommich]

9. I wonder how old those people at the Atlantic are? This is pretty

typical looking for a senior year book picture in 1976.


Isn't there enough to go after Santorum for without the stupid references to another era?

[LynneSin]

10. If this is the reason we find him unelectable that's really sad

He looks like any typical person who graduated in the 70s.

[Wait Wut]

12. That explains it.

I have a theory that many Rs are kids that were picked on in HS. They grew up into the "neener, neener" mentality punishing anyone that has less than they do. Granted, I was raised in an affluent Chicago suburb, so our dorks were well off dorks, which gave them a head start into not giving a shit.

If anyone at his school had seen beyond that funky haircut and unfortunate outfit, invited him to a party and maybe let him feel up your sister, he could've been a Democrat and we'd be laughing "with" him and not "at" him.

In light of my theory, I encourage each and every one of you to take a dork under your wing. We can find a CURE for Republicanism!! Take them clothes shopping, to your favorite nite spot, drum circle, whatever! YES WE CAN!

:patriot:

[AndyTiedye]

16. I Figured the Schoolyard Bullies became Republicans When They Left School

[Wait Wut]

19. It probably is more likely in most schools.

My high school was very liberal. Our football players were more likely to defend than attack and were actually really decent guys, for the most part. The basketball team were mostly assholes, though. Track, baseball, softball were all okay.

[Hannah Bell]

20. he doesn't look particularly dorkish. looks like a typical 70s graduation photo

to me.

[Beaverhausen]

13. This is childish

picking on someone's graduation photo from the 70's is stupid.

He's done and said enough in the past decade to criticize him for.

[bobbolink]

29. !

:applause:

[Politicalboi]

15. Isn't the name

Dick Santorum bad enough. LOL!

[HopeHoops]

17. He looks like the kid that got beat up every afternoon "just because".

[MineralMan]

18. Uh, let's see yours.

I think that's a really good idea. I would never criticize or laugh at anyone's graduation photo without posting my own. And I wouldn't post my own, so I don't do that.

[Lex]

21. Having a dorky high school picture is the ONLY thing making him more human

that I've observed about him.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. The '70s were the Dark Ages of fashion.

Yes, he looks profoundly dorky, but avoiding dorkitude was almost impossible in those days, given the clothes and the hairstyles. Granted, he looks like the kid who got wedgies on a daily basis, but I'll cut him some slack on the yearbook picture.

Nothing else, though.

[taught_me_patience]

24. I think he looks pretty cool and don't see anything "tragic" at all

Cool side burns and shirt... pretty good looking kid.

[drm604]

25. That's a pretty typical 70s yearbook photo.

I'm from Pennsylvania and I contributed to getting Santorum out of office. There's plenty to criticize Santorum for, but this is just silly.

[snooper2]

26. see what happens when you don't have sex in high school

:rofl:

[cherish44]

28. Kinda of reminds me of Cameron from Ferris Bueller

I graduated in '85 but 80's weren't as dorky and corny as the 70's. My high school year book is all mullets, shoulderpads and big earrings but you look my pics from grade school and YIKESSSSS! Trying to explain to my 15 year old daughter that it was the 70's and everyone dressed like that just gets more laughter from her...

[Sinistrous]

30. I can't be smug about this.

The dictionary put my high school picture in its definition of "dork."

[Snoutport]

31. mine is worse than santorum's