Yeah, I worked on a campaign here in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Pushing our candidate to some (hot) law students: "I'll vote for him, he's hot". It's anecdotal evidence but I reckon the Dem's are on to something.
I didn't even finish the article and I'm facepalming already.
As another commenter already said: how do you explain Trump, then?
Which member of Trump's administration is a "thirst trap"? Is it Hegseth? Rubio? Miller? It sure isn't RFK Jr., unless you're Olivia Nuzzi.
Any sexy Republican Senators or Representatives I should know about? When I think of Markwayne Mullin or Mike Johnson, "thirst trap" not the first term that comes to mind!
Seriously, the "Democrats must be perfect and be all things to all people; Republicans must have a pulse and an R next to their name" thing has been beyond exhausting for years at this point.
Romney is handsome by any standard & yet the MAGA types didn't swoon over him. Apparently too dignified & only one wife.
Obama is surprisingly more attractive at 60 than when he first ran. He was a kinda skinny guy in a poor-fitting suit. He has a great voice and speaks intelligently.
If you want a slightly less depressing take, I think when influencers say “hot” they mean “charismatic” and they just have outrageously weak vocabularies. Actually, maybe that’s more depressing.
My point is, when the electorate doesn’t pay attention to policy, and legacy media willingly sanewashes all the bugfuck crazy shit that comes out of a certain person’s face hole, you have to go with someone who can draw folks in. I always liked Hillary Clinton, but her general election prospects worried me, because I remember the ‘90s.
It would be nice if people voted based on demonstrated smarts and competence, but they don’t. Elections in this country are popularity contests at best and spleen-venting expressions of grievance at worst.
How a candidate looks is a special kind of political quicksand: very definitely it matters, eg, JFK and Jackie, especially in this visual age; but it fades fast, really fast, if there isn't a lot more there. Besides, it doesn't take much in the way of looks to do the job OK in that regard. Almost immediately attention shifts to who is this person anyway? And right there authenticity matters more than looks, and it takes hold fairly quickly. For good reason people are suspect of politicians, so real substance shines through, and if a position is made solidly, consistently in simple terms, people will focus on that. And a touch of humility goes a long way, and God help the electorate if some humor comes along with it, naturally. Name recognition helps with casual voters, but an unsullied reputation is almost as good. But a real winner wants to win more than anything else and they'll find the internal resources to pull it off.
While this seems like a tall order, there are actually plenty of candidates out there if you look in the ranks of active involved people. But one thing is clear: voters don't have the patience right now for safe, content, gerrymandered politicians, and more and more of them are looking for fresh faces and they'll take their chances on good ones.
I'm disappointed in Bennie Thompson. Trying to interfere in the politics of a state not his own, especially by implying threats, detracts from the image he built for himself as Chair of the House Select Committee that made history with its incisive investigation of January 6.
I’m not a fan of this “hot” talk. I on’t care what they look like, and I’m not fond of Mr. Central Casting Candidate Newsom. I really don’t care what they look like. However, I do care that they are young.
Yeah, I worked on a campaign here in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Pushing our candidate to some (hot) law students: "I'll vote for him, he's hot". It's anecdotal evidence but I reckon the Dem's are on to something.
If this thesis is correct every candidate should run an ad with a naked tRump with the tag line "you want more of THIS??!!"
I didn't even finish the article and I'm facepalming already.
As another commenter already said: how do you explain Trump, then?
Which member of Trump's administration is a "thirst trap"? Is it Hegseth? Rubio? Miller? It sure isn't RFK Jr., unless you're Olivia Nuzzi.
Any sexy Republican Senators or Representatives I should know about? When I think of Markwayne Mullin or Mike Johnson, "thirst trap" not the first term that comes to mind!
Seriously, the "Democrats must be perfect and be all things to all people; Republicans must have a pulse and an R next to their name" thing has been beyond exhausting for years at this point.
Good thing that Vance will be the opponent. Bragging about the number of couches you had won’t go far l
Romney is handsome by any standard & yet the MAGA types didn't swoon over him. Apparently too dignified & only one wife.
Obama is surprisingly more attractive at 60 than when he first ran. He was a kinda skinny guy in a poor-fitting suit. He has a great voice and speaks intelligently.
If you want a slightly less depressing take, I think when influencers say “hot” they mean “charismatic” and they just have outrageously weak vocabularies. Actually, maybe that’s more depressing.
My point is, when the electorate doesn’t pay attention to policy, and legacy media willingly sanewashes all the bugfuck crazy shit that comes out of a certain person’s face hole, you have to go with someone who can draw folks in. I always liked Hillary Clinton, but her general election prospects worried me, because I remember the ‘90s.
It would be nice if people voted based on demonstrated smarts and competence, but they don’t. Elections in this country are popularity contests at best and spleen-venting expressions of grievance at worst.
Lauren,
How a candidate looks is a special kind of political quicksand: very definitely it matters, eg, JFK and Jackie, especially in this visual age; but it fades fast, really fast, if there isn't a lot more there. Besides, it doesn't take much in the way of looks to do the job OK in that regard. Almost immediately attention shifts to who is this person anyway? And right there authenticity matters more than looks, and it takes hold fairly quickly. For good reason people are suspect of politicians, so real substance shines through, and if a position is made solidly, consistently in simple terms, people will focus on that. And a touch of humility goes a long way, and God help the electorate if some humor comes along with it, naturally. Name recognition helps with casual voters, but an unsullied reputation is almost as good. But a real winner wants to win more than anything else and they'll find the internal resources to pull it off.
While this seems like a tall order, there are actually plenty of candidates out there if you look in the ranks of active involved people. But one thing is clear: voters don't have the patience right now for safe, content, gerrymandered politicians, and more and more of them are looking for fresh faces and they'll take their chances on good ones.
Jerry
Groan. Maybe you have a point, but I consider intelligent, compassionate, and empathetic attractive. I didn’t grow up with the term “hot “.
Ossoff is a hottie!
FWIW, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) outranks Newsom, Ossoff, and Buttigieg on Ranker's "Hottest Male World Leaders." https://www.ranker.com/list/hot-male-politicians/ashley-reign
This is a good piece but the headline really deserves an award
I'm disappointed in Bennie Thompson. Trying to interfere in the politics of a state not his own, especially by implying threats, detracts from the image he built for himself as Chair of the House Select Committee that made history with its incisive investigation of January 6.
100%
I’m not a fan of this “hot” talk. I on’t care what they look like, and I’m not fond of Mr. Central Casting Candidate Newsom. I really don’t care what they look like. However, I do care that they are young.
How can this be when this country twice elected the grossest, orangist, most ugly man possible for president??
This is unbelievably stupid. The Democratic Party should fire all consultants.
This is inane.