Are political campaigns unfair to women? Probably. There are many, many reasons why electing Hillary Clinton president would be a bad idea, but the fact that she looks her age isn't one of them.

[Update a few minutes later]

I guess other people have to be wondering, though, if this haggard look is the result of a campaign (and one that is still in a primary, having not even gotten to the general), what would she look like after four years of the presidency? Will she even survive a general campaign? I recall being shocked in 1980 at how much Jimmy Carter appeared to have aged in his term.

I think political campaigns are unfair to people. Everyone is entitled to a Yeerrgh! every now and then, and everyone is entitled to a bad hair day, or whatever. Maybe the question you are asking is "are men unfair to women?", but doesn't everyone agrees on the answer?

On the other hand, it may be unfair to some men candidates that, apart from all else, there are those who will vote for Hillary for one reason: she is a woman.

This looks quotient issue equals out across the field of Democrats who are running. Hitlary looks bad and would be moderately bad for the country. John Edwards looks great and squeaky clean, but would be horribly bad for the country.

It's a matter of being directly proportional, by degrees.

I remember the press remarking on how the Presidency didn't seem to age Reagan the way it did Carter (generally accompanied by inane comments about how that proved Reagan was not taking the job seriously).

As an aside, Jeanne Kirkpatrick always looked her age, and I deeply regret that Robert Heinlein was not successful in convincing her to run for President.

there are those who will vote for Hillary for one reason: she is a woman.

and there are those who will not vote for Hillary for one reason: she is a woman.

I can't say the Presidential campaign is harsh on women, when the primary criticism of Fred Thompson is that he looks bored and tired. Forget that he has a message that resonates with voters, he is dismissed purely by his appearance. An appearance that's valued by television and movie producers, but not by political hacks.

I do think electing a President based on appearance is lame. Hillary shouldn't be President because she is something between a full blown communist and a true socialist. Neither are traits I want for a US President.

There is this thing in this country that, as you age -- and this is particularly, you know, women are hardest hit on this, and particularly in Hollywood -- America loses interest in you, and we know this is true because we constantly hear from aging actresses, who lament that they can't get decent roles anymore, other than in supporting roles that will not lead to any direct impact, yay or nay, in the box office. While Hollywood box-office receipts may be stagnant, none of that changes the fact that this is a country obsessed with appearance. It's a country obsessed with looks. The number of people in public life who appear on television or on the big screen, who are content to be who they are, you can probably count on one hand. Everybody's trying to make themselves look different -- and in that situation, in that case, they think they're making themselves look better. It's just the way our culture has evolved. It's the way the country is. It's like almost an addiction that some people have to what I call the perfection that Hollywood presents of successful, beautiful, fun-loving people. So the question is this: Will this country want to actually watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?

-Rush Limbaugh, 12/17/2007

Hmm. About as nasty a question as I've ever heard.

TnT,
If she gets elected, the answer will be uglier still.

T'n'T I saw your name at the end of the post before the attribution to Rush Limbaugh. Your post would have been a lot better without the last line ^_^

That's nasty? As nasty as you've ever heard? Have you lived your life surrounded by Smurfs and Care Bears? Strike that; are you a Smurf or a Care Bear? Is my sarcasm & irony detector broken?

I think the only thing that is unfair to woman about a presidential campaign is that it doesn't always provide them the opportunity to spend several hours applying makeup. If anything this picture is a testament to the quality of her makeup and the talent of her cosmetic artist.

I can't say the Presidential campaign is harsh on women, when the primary criticism of Fred Thompson is that he looks bored and tired.

Actually, the primary criticism is that he's boring and tiresome. Including, but not only, to himself.

Admittedly Hillary Clinton isn't all that great on that score either. I'd vote for her just because I want Carmela Soprano at the helm. I'm tired of well-meaning ball-droppers like George Bush.

I'm constantly amazed that anybody klings to the idea of fairness. No such animal folks.

wait a sec... it does seem fair that the gop has only one conservative running. Should make the voter choice much easier. Ya think?

HH, I don't know, I think that is particularly nasty to women. I mean, most of us have wives and mothers, some more than others. Not that I wouldn't prefer it if Gisele Bundchen was running on a very scanty platform.

DC is, in too many ways, an ugly town to live in or near. We have people working themselves into early graves -- and screwing up to a fare thee well while doing it. This is a criticism of both major parties as well as the bureaucracies they command while in office.

There is some interesting evidence that sleep deprivation not only harms health, but also affects a person's abilities to think clearly and rationally. Yet we see politicians talking about how tough they are and how much time they spend on the job. The general populace has been trained to accept such rhetoric. If some person works 20 hours/day, they are applauded for their dedication, not condemned for their ignorance.

In some ways it is easier to devote long hours to work. That way you can look good to the public who will not compare you to a more well rested person who actually thinks about what they are doing and sometimes comes up with a helpful idea -- or at least recognizes some one else's idea as being potentially helpful.

It was once said that "Politics is Hollywood for ugly people."

If you want to presidents that aged in office:
- FDR - his bad health and the war killed him.
- LBJ - compare pictures from right before JFK was killed and when he left office. Wow.

Or what about having to see someone like Obama on the news for the next 4 years. . .the man is ugly. I’d much rather see Hillary on the news for the next 4 years. Is Obama sick or something? He’s been looking malnourished lately. Somebody really should tell that gawd ugly man to eat a little more. He reminds me of one of those Egyptian mummies after they take all the wrappings off, showing leathery black skin on a skeleton.