this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2024
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190
Sanders says the media has made politics ‘into a beauty contest’ (thehill.com)
submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

I mean. Reagan was literally a movie star. Kennedy wasn’t exactly hideous. Clinton was charming. (Bill, not Hilary.)

Lincoln had a sort of ruggedly handsome look (and to be blunt he was buff as hell- a skilled wrestler, he was known to toss townspeople. For reasons…)

And there’s Obama.that dude will rock a tan suit like nobody’s business.

In fact, the only president of recent memory I would say was straight up hideous was Trump. But even that is part of his “brand” or something.

(Though seriously. Dude can afford a tailor. He should look one up.)

Edit: I’d ask where Bernie has been the last few hundred years, but I guess someone has to actually do their job in Washington.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Nixon would have easily won reelection if not for the advent of political debates being televized. Kennedy was so charming and charismatic next to Nixon's sweaty and brutish appearance that his poll numbers skyrocketed. I would argue that is the likely beginning of the 'beauty contest' as we're claiming it. Unfortunately it's for good reason. In global politics, charisma and physical beauty or charm plays into negotiation. Whether people like it or not, physical attraction is a guiding force in our natural selection and social psychology.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I’d suggest people were always concerned about attractiveness. Pre-televised debates they used radio broadcasts.

I imagine if you sounded like a goose being strangled, you would be disadvantaged to some one with that golden voice.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I’m gonna have to stop you right there. Abraham Lincoln was ugly as fuck. Possibly the greatest president of all time. But he didn’t grow that beard until some little girl said, (paraphrasing) “U-G-L-Y, you ain’t got no alibi, you ugly. [clap clap] You ugly.”

Either Lincoln or FDR is probably the greatest president and both of them had to overcome a major disability. FDR had polio and was in a wheelchair and Lincoln without a beard was so ugly, you could have pressed his face in dough and made gorilla cookies. And I suspect that’s why they both had the resoluteness and empathy required to be a truly great leader. (And probably why Lincoln was so buff. He was getting no hoes with that craggy visage.)

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago

And Lincoln knew it.

If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?

  • Abraham Lincoln
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Trump looks like he gets groomed and styled by Florida beauty school dropouts that do it for the honor of serving their savior (for free, with whatever products they have lying around or can get on the cheap). Probably can't go to a regular barber anymore with his reputation of not paying for services rendered.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Well that explains why Bernie was wearing stalkings and a mini skirt.

..........I'm still unclear why he was throwing fried chicken at birds though......

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I'm loving his Dada phase

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Dude deffo knows about the first Nixon Kennedy debate where Nixon looked like warmed over death and it absolutely fucked with his numbers.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

My understanding is the room was intentionally extra toasty to get Nixon extra sweaty. Pretty crafty move if true.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

I mean he's right

Politics is all about sympathy for many people and pretty people have a headstart in that department statistics wise

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

I thought this was clearly accepted as a phenomenon that started when Americans started to switch from radio to television.