Haggard Hillary & Presidential Obama: Swim, Swam, Swum...

Never talk politics, religion or money at the table: politesse.  Well, politics is passionate right now and it is the subject of every gathering, bar none. Why, as women, do we need to talk about how Hillary looks haggard?  Well, she does.  She swam and she still keeps swimming. And we women had to talk about how haggard Silda Spitzer looked, too.  Whose the haggard-est? Be careful, we discuss. Why does this matter, we think?  Careful. Women, not men, get botched (think Pricilla Presley).

Looks Matter  in our culture - that is what I wrote when I picked out Hillary's fresh face at one of the important televised debates in October, photo at right.  Life doesn't keep you fresh, though.  Swimming for a long time can be pruning. 

Meanwhile, Obama has used the presidential-looking, symbolic stage for his race speech and those since and that image keeps playing, echoing in the media.  What props! Blue curtain! Flag in the background! Slogan above the head, to the right: read him, read message.  Hillary's tag line is her name.  This is important. Slogans matter.

But what caught my eye, really, is the CNN scrolling caption when Obama was on Larry King (again, the candidate controlled the symbolic stage for his interview!). Swum?

Has already a swooming swum been done?

Swim, swam swum: the race is far from done. 

It is making this soccer mother haggard, too.

Related:
The Art of Campaign Visuals,
Word Art: Talking Points

Comments

[susiej]

I think we notice, and comment, on her haggardness because it sends a clear message. She does not look calm, centered, and self-controlled right now. She looks desperate, and haggard. Obama looks calm. I think by bringing up the point, we hope to find some resolution -- does this mean Hilliary is not the right choice? Should we go with Obama? Why couldn't my Grandmother be running for President. She was always calm in the face of trials, and she never hem hawed around,she didn't jump ship once her mind was made up. We need strong candidates. Haggardness doesn't look strong. Calm does.

[Hattie]

Hillary looks great compared to McCain.

[anthony]

Couple of comments. Looks matter. Results matter more.If you have good results and have looks (or charisma), then 1+1=3. I think that politics causes opponents to latch on to ANY weakness(McCains age, Obama's church, Hillary's looks). You don't mention age. If people made a big deal out of her age,like everyone is doing to McCain, can you imagine the backlash? Actually talking about a womans age!! I also hear quite a bit about what 8 years in the chair did to the looks of both Bill Clinton and George W.Before and after photos are easy to find. The Kennedy's, The Sarkozy's, everyone loves to have their representative look great as it reflects well on us. Finally, I agree with Susie above,calm looks better on us than panic, whatever you look like, and she is so obviously overwrought, overwhelmed and over her head. That says a lot since this is just a primary season that started not too many months ago in Iowa. Eight years in the real hot seat, is multiples of the stress of 8 months versus a one term Senator. That tells me a lot. Plus she is married to Bill and that's enough to make anyone haggard.

[joared]

Why aren't we talking about issues instead of looks -- who appears presidential and who doesn't? That's my pet peeve again this election year. Previous election years issues were lost with voters directed into discussions about everything but domestic and foreign issues of significance. Are we doing the same thing now with all this intricate analyzing to the point all else gets lost?

I heard a long todo on the radio the other day about how much time a woman president would have to spend each morning readying to meet the public, before she could even start work, i.e. makeup, etc. This meant she'd have to get up much earlier than a male, so either she wouldn't have as many hours of work, or wouldn't get enough sleep. Surely there are more important issues facing our country whether BO, or HC gets the Dem. nomination. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we should think about lobbing some hard specific questions in JM's direction.

[joared]

Why aren't we talking about issues instead of looks -- who appears presidential and who doesn't? That's my pet peeve again this election year. Previous election years issues were lost with voters directed into discussions about everything but domestic and foreign issues of significance. Are we doing the same thing now with all this intricate analyzing to the point all else gets lost?

I heard a long todo on the radio the other day about how much time a woman president would have to spend each morning readying to meet the public, before she could even start work, i.e. makeup, etc. This meant she'd have to get up much earlier than a male, so either she wouldn't have as many hours of work, or wouldn't get enough sleep. Surely there are more important issues facing our country whether BO, or HC gets the Dem. nomination. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we should think about lobbing some hard specific questions in JM's direction.