I know as a nation we're shallow as hell but give me a break

[Raziaar]

So and so looks Presidential!

So and so doesn't look very Presidential.

GIVE ME A ****ING BREAK. What is it with our god damn shallow country in the modern era. How prevalent is this in other countries? Back in the day, there didn't seem to be much stock in a president "looking presidential", at least from looking at them. They seemed like dudes from every physical appearance category.

It's like choosing Chamberlain over Churchill. I bet our society today would choose Chamberlain over Churchill based on "looking presidential" and we'd be ****ed.

Are you so shallow that you evaluate a candidate's potential performance as president based on looks? Cause even if it's the tiniest bit, you're a douche. There, I said it.

What the **** America?

EDIT: And so help me god if you talk about a full head of hair I will choke you to death. You're supposed to vote for him to lead the country not to **** you and give you pretty babies.

 

[Acepilotf14]

I have never heard that before. I'm not totally sure what you're complaining about.

 

[Raziaar]

You're joking right?

 

[Mr. Djees]

I have never heard that before. I'm not totally sure what you're complaining about.

Pretty famous example

I think it's just human nature, people believe they can tell a lot about people based on their looks.

 

[Acepilotf14]

OH. Okay. So you're complaining that appearance has bearing on who we vote for?

Well yeah that's true. Then again, Nixon did turn out to be not so honest in the end. So..

 

[Krynn72]

I'm not so sure that appearance has any significant effect on who gets elected (though I don't doubt it has some influence). I think the reason it seems like its a big issue nowadays is because of the 24-hour-nothing-to-talk-about-news stations. They need to just keep rambling on about stupid shit to fill air time, and "looks" is a subject that can be talked about.

 

[Vegeta897]

You could draw a line from this to other things, such as presidential slogans. They're just shit that the campaign paid some guys to come up with, and they're just meant to sound good or be clever, when they really are no indication of how well the man would perform as president. And we've had presidential slogans for a long time, in fact they were even more stupid 'back in the day'. Go look them up if you don't believe me.

 

[Krynn72]

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too

Yeah, thats a pretty stupid one.

EDIT:
My favorites:

Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, The Continental Liar from the State of Maine

Don't swap horses in the middle of the stream

A Full Dinner Pail

Cox and Cocktails

Not Just Peanuts

Ross for Boss

 

[Raziaar]

Well at least I'm not the only one who thinks so. Found this... and oh look, same chamberlain/churchill comparison.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...6538532839301692.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

Seems like it's a fairly recent trend going back in history. Doesn't surprise me given society today.

I'm just sick of hearing all the time how Presidential Mitt Romney and Rick Perry look.

I don't care if the guy was a leper, I'd still vote for him if he had the political acumen I valued.

You heard the same shit about Barack Obama too...

 

[dfc05]

I've heard about Rick Perry's hair, but always as a joke.

 

[Maestro]

Rick Perry is the perfect douche bag.

 

[Bad^Hat]

I think it's more of an overall presentation thing instead of just appearance. You see Mitt Romney talking to people at the Iowa Straw Poll with one leg up on a bail of straw like he's trying to sell you some corduroy pants or something? Now that's one presidential-ass mother****er.

 

[Krynn72]

Still not as presidential as Yosemite Perry.

 

[MJ12]

Back in the day, there didn't seem to be much stock in a president "looking presidential", at least from looking at them.

Started with JFK.

 

[Eejit]

Still not as presidential as Yosemite Perry.

Why is Gary Lineker hanging out with Rick Perry?

 

[Robbo]

Not a problem here

I guess people will always base their first impressions on crap like this. They then have to look into the candidates a little deeper which some just wont do.

 

[Emporius]

 

[Raziaar]

That dude was slovenly!

 

[Kadayi]

Started with JFK.

I'm not sure, there's always been this thing over Harding winning because he looked and sounded presidential.

Perry is a joke of a man. He'd happily sell you his mother kidneys I suspect if he thought it would get him into the Whitehouse. Who can forget all his talk of seceding from the Union just a couple of years ago? Out of him & Romney I'd say Romney probably is the better republican candidate, but at the same time the republicans seem so mill-stoned to the tea party element that any attempt at rational politics is just going to incur their wrath, and the mob is beyond the point of reasoned debate now.