Comments on: Fred Thompson Not Teh Sexy?

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:23:46 +0000

I don't mean to be tendentious, and I admit the possibility of error, but didn't getting cancer and a promise only to serve one termm, respectively, also play into those decisions?

Sure. It's true, though, the Giuliani had plenty of energy for speechifying and other lucrative activities and declined to take a more active role in the homeland security program. Thompson had a whole host of good reasons for not coming back to the Senate but, certainly, the timing wasn't outstanding.

By: Dodd

Dodd — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:32:45 +0000

The top three Republican candidates for President include two guys who bailed out of public life just as the war on terror was getting started, one to cash in on his 9/11 celebrity, the other to goof off in Hollywood.

I don't mean to be tendentious, and I admit the possibility of error, but didn't getting cancer and a promise only to serve one termm, respectively, also play into those decisions?

By: jim

jim — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:19:05 +0000

Pretty much every presidential election since WWII can be explained by the cowboy theory. That is who we think looks better on a horse.
Carter v Ford provides the difficulty and can be explained with picturing Ford trying to get on and then falling off.

By: spencer

spencer — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:43:56 +0000

My reaction on seeing him on TV recently, after not seeing him in a long time, is that he does not look healthy.

Who finds that sexy?

By: Matthew J. Stinson

Matthew J. Stinson — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:14:48 +0000

Does Zathras mean that ... gulp ... Paris Hilton has a shot at being Madame President someday?

P.S. James, if we take a stroll down a cringeworthy memory lane, there once actually were women who thought George H.W. Bush was ... do-able. Shudder.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:10:28 +0000

Personally, I vote for a person whose platform most closely aligns with my values and principles. I use this criteria in all elections. I know that being human my choice for an office is going to make mistakes, play politics and be criticized. I would have to be the candidate for this not to be true.(lol) But as long as they are still the closest candidate/office holder to my values then they will continue to have my allegiance. If they lie to me and vote differently then how they campaigned or commit an unforgivable sin (using my definition)and I find someone else who aligns with me more closely, I will change my allegiance.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:58:39 +0000

a smooth talker (e.g. G.W. Bush), or even a pretty-boy (e.g. George Bush Sr.).

Heh. It's probably the first time either Bush has been tarred with those brushes.

By: Patrick T. McGuire

Patrick T. McGuire — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:56:17 +0000

Heh. Mostly, I think "regular guy" or "have a beer with" and other variants just translate into a sense of trust. The alternative is "phony."

Amen to that! For all you elites inside the Beltway, there is a whole nation of voters out here in middle America who aren't looking for an intellectual genius (e.g. Bill Clinton) or a smooth talker (e.g. G.W. Bush), or even a pretty-boy (e.g. George Bush Sr.). We want someone who represents our values without pretentious affectations. Having said that, I know a well educated, professional woman who voted for John Kerry. When I asked her why, her reply was "I just like the way he looks, I think he is sexy". Go figure!

By: Bithead

Bithead — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:54:12 +0000

not quite so silly as you make out, James. It comes down to, who you think is going to be able to represent your interests the best. Generally speaking that comes down to somebody that you could have a beer with .

Granted, at the extreme of that situation, comes the need for somebody to be black, to represent blacks. Or, in Jesse Jackson's situation, someone who acts black. But, there it is; the Precedent is already set.

By: cirby

cirby — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:19:45 +0000

It's really funny how the people who used to complain about the "pretty people" in high school are the same ones who will defend (to their last breath) their favorite "pretty politician," no matter how much they screw up or go off-message. John Edwards, for example. Or, as some call him, the "Silky Pony." He says the dumbest damned things, takes the worst positions, keeps getting caught in the most hypocritical acts, and he's still the favorite of a helluva lot of folks. This election has Obama, of course - who is running almost exclusively on charisma, and who keeps getting a pass for saying the wrong things and having the wrong connections.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:09:11 +0000

Heh. Mostly, I think "regular guy" or "have a beer with" and other variants just translate into a sense of trust. The alternative is "phony."

By: Triumph

Triumph — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:06:22 +0000

My favorite idiotic way of explaining presidential preference was the hypothesis that males preferred Bush over Gore because men could envision "having a beer" with him.

Talk about shallow! It always struck me as weird why anyone would like to have a beer with a recovering alcoholic--maybe because it leaves more beer for the voter?!?