Appearance outweighs policy in election
Issue date: 9/18/08 Section: Editorial
November is nearly here, and it is time to begin another season of America's Next Top Candidate.
After narrowing down the pool of contestants to the final two, we are left with Senators Barack Obama (D-Illinois) and John McCain (R-Arizona).
Past elections have demonstrated that the more physically attractive candidate generally prevails in the presidential election.
This trend can be tracked back to the first televised presidential debate in 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Until then, debates had been broadcast over the radio.
Individuals who listened to the debate over the radio tended to say they believed Nixon won the debate, but the responses of viewers of the televised version of that same debate were skewed in favor of Kennedy.
In that debate, Kennedy, who wore makeup, was later described as healthy looking and tan.
Nixon, who did not wear makeup, was later described as appearing pale and less healthy looking.
This is a fairly clear demonstration that appearance does have the power to sway voters' opinions on the presidential candidates.
If we trace the results of the elections since Kennedy's victory in 1960, a similar trend emerges.
The more attractive candidate prevails each time: Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater in 1964, and Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and George McGovern in 1972.
Jimmy Carter defeated Gerald Ford in 1976, Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 and Walter Mondale in 1984, and George Bush, Sr. defeated Michael Dukakis in 1988.
Bill Clinton defeated incumbent George Bush, Sr. in 1992 and Bob Dole in 1996, and George Bush defeated Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004.
Attractiveness is admittedly a very subjective quality that varies from individual to individual based on personal taste.
Even so, in the elections since the advent of televised debates and a pervasive and visual news media, the candidate who fits the more traditional model of attractiveness has prevailed each time.
It is also possible that the more attractive candidate is simply a better candidate all around than his opponent.
At The Echo, we encourage all of our readers to learn about both candidates and to begin to develop an opinion based not on physical features but on issues and past decisions.
An informed decision is more difficult to make than a superficial one because it requires some time to research each candidate.
Even so, we encourage students to make the extra effort by disregarding the candidates' looks and fashion sense and focusing on their abilities and intentions.
After narrowing down the pool of contestants to the final two, we are left with Senators Barack Obama (D-Illinois) and John McCain (R-Arizona).
Past elections have demonstrated that the more physically attractive candidate generally prevails in the presidential election.
This trend can be tracked back to the first televised presidential debate in 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Until then, debates had been broadcast over the radio.
Individuals who listened to the debate over the radio tended to say they believed Nixon won the debate, but the responses of viewers of the televised version of that same debate were skewed in favor of Kennedy.
In that debate, Kennedy, who wore makeup, was later described as healthy looking and tan.
Nixon, who did not wear makeup, was later described as appearing pale and less healthy looking.
This is a fairly clear demonstration that appearance does have the power to sway voters' opinions on the presidential candidates.
If we trace the results of the elections since Kennedy's victory in 1960, a similar trend emerges.
The more attractive candidate prevails each time: Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater in 1964, and Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and George McGovern in 1972.
Jimmy Carter defeated Gerald Ford in 1976, Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 and Walter Mondale in 1984, and George Bush, Sr. defeated Michael Dukakis in 1988.
Bill Clinton defeated incumbent George Bush, Sr. in 1992 and Bob Dole in 1996, and George Bush defeated Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004.
Attractiveness is admittedly a very subjective quality that varies from individual to individual based on personal taste.
Even so, in the elections since the advent of televised debates and a pervasive and visual news media, the candidate who fits the more traditional model of attractiveness has prevailed each time.
It is also possible that the more attractive candidate is simply a better candidate all around than his opponent.
At The Echo, we encourage all of our readers to learn about both candidates and to begin to develop an opinion based not on physical features but on issues and past decisions.
An informed decision is more difficult to make than a superficial one because it requires some time to research each candidate.
Even so, we encourage students to make the extra effort by disregarding the candidates' looks and fashion sense and focusing on their abilities and intentions.
