AUBURN, N.Y. — Maybe Democratic candidate Michael Arcuri is running strong in this Republican House district because he pledges to expand health coverage, balance the budget and raise the minimum wage. Or maybe it’s his piercing Italian eyes and runner’s physique.
Stop the presses!! The Washington Post has figured out that attractive candidates- physically attractive, that is- have a better chance of getting elected than the usually sweaty, rumpled, tobacco-stained wretches that generally run or office. Gee, whodathunkit? In a society that values physical attractiveness in so many other endeavors, the Post is just now discovering that a physically attractive political candidate has an advantage. Man, I am shocked- SHCOKED!- that we could be so incredibly shallow as to prefer physically attractive political candidates. I can see the press conferences of the future now:
Sir, we all know about your position on the war in Iraq, but how much can you bench?
I’ll be asking about your energy policy later in the interview…but how DO you maintain that 32-inch waist??
Sure, Americans are concerned about terrorism, but who does your hair?
Hey, if a porn star can run for Governor of California, and if a bodybuilder can actually be ELECTED Governor of California, why should it be any surprise at all that physically attractive candidates have an advantage?
It’s just too bad that “smart” doesn’t provide the same advantages that “attractive” does. Instead, we live in a society where as many man will vote for Katherine Harris for her breasts as much as for her policies…and how often have we seen her in profile on Fox News Channel (So what’s your position on…oooh, nice rack, Congresswoman!!!)? You use what you’ve got, I suppose. Just try to keep in mind that the problem with Katherine Harris is not her breasts; it’s what between her ears. You might also keep in mind that if the sum total of your thought process extends to “Yeah, I’d like to do her; I think I’ll vote for her”, you can’t claim to be surprised when we end up with a collection of vapid, anti-intellectual, reactionary (but with great racks!) in office. We have only ourselves to blame.
