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Apparently I'm Supposed to Care Which Candidate is "Sexy"


What the HELL is this crap? Are you serious? A poll asking South Carolina voters which presidential candidate is the SEXIEST. Really?

I'm just curious what is accomplished by a poll like this, why any polling company would ask this question, and why the hell they think I care.

The President of Public Policy Polling, Dean Debnam, agrees this is silly, "Politics doesn't always have to be completely serious," he says in the press release. "We did this survey to remind folks to keep their senses of humor during this intense election season."

Yeah, I'm not laughing.

If you want me to keep my sense of humor, how about asking me which candidate tells the best joke. Or which candidate is mostly likely to have a beer at the local pub. Draw me a funny political cartoon. Let me just state I'm stretching with those examples, because I really am not sure this election needs to have a sense of humor. Some "light" moments-I'll give ya' that...but my sense of humor just doesn't come into play with dead soldiers and Iraqis, families struggling to pay their mortgage, lives-hanging-in-the-balance, fate-of-our-country politics.

But let's tackle the bigger issue here and why this poll makes me roll my eyes and want to move to Canada-ENOUGH with the sexy crap. Obama girl, Hillary boy, Edward's hair, Clinton's cleavage-ENOUGH already.

What does even discussing which candidate is SEXY accomplish in the bigger picture aside from the few chuckles the polling folks were hoping for?

It reinforces that "sexy" matters.

It reinforces the idea that Americans care more about Oprah than Obama.

It reinforces to my daughter she needs to be thin, beautiful, and slutty.

It reinforces to my son SEXY counts when trying to win over the world.

It reinforces to ME some voters care more about American Idol and Britney's custody case and will actually cast their ballot for the candidate who has the best stylist.

It reinforces to the cadidates the false notion 8.3 million readers of BlogHer.com care more about fluff than the issues.

Maybe I have no sense of humor this morning. Maybe I woke up to find this poll and am overreacting. I'll admit I'm feeling rather cynical this weekend.
Or maybe I'm tired of some woman shaking her ass all over national tv for Obama and the media discussing necklines and skin.

We have quips about looking "too" feminine or "mannish"-leading to snark about tears in New Hampshire. We have polls measuring the next leader of the free world's SEXY.

Enough. Please. Enough

crossposted at the Queen of Spain Blog

 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
LeftRight
TANSTAAFL
04:52 PM on 01/21/2008
Erin,
Thanks again for a wonderful post!

Now then, onto the nitty-gritty. Does this remind anyone else about 2000, when we were asked who we wanted to have a beer with? Cause I was just as disgusted then as I am now about this stupid crap!!
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Erin Kotecki Vest
12:40 PM on 01/21/2008
I'm not sure why this comment isn't showing up, but for those who want to see a response from the owner of Public Policy Polling you can see it at http://queenofspainblog.com/2008/01/19/an-open-letter-to-pollsters-stat-takers-and-survey-pimps/
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JohnFromCensornati
The End is near
06:40 AM on 01/20/2008
How could anyone dispute that Judi Rudianna is sexiest?
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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whatsthatsound
ferret in a beret
11:08 PM on 01/19/2008
I think the words "lighten up" apply here as well as anywhere. Even Socrates was getting grief for how un-sexy he was, dear. This is not a sign of civilization in decline, although others abound.

I think your children don't need to be protected from this peculiar bit of inanity.
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wayoutleft
my nano-bio coded in a period: .
10:58 PM on 01/19/2008
sexy is what you liberals have going for you! embrace it! you win with sexy; you lose with "qualified" and deserving".
08:47 PM on 01/19/2008
Sexy is very important for a

WRESTLING MATCH!

It's got the MOD SQUAD lineup. Newly converted to Kucinich's lifelong gospel of populism, Edwards, the Liar...er lawyer, blocking the Kucinich votes, Hillary , Queen of the Clinton Dynasty, first female president, wow, then Obama the multicultural man, brings the heartfelt renditions of Hope and Unity. Of course the rethugs race is more colorful then clowns in a phone booth!

All Dem candidates are thick with the PNAC.info and DLC.org crowd and credo: “we have a big military stick, and we're going to use it” ...to make the world safer!!! of course, what did you think I meant.

So If you like the constant maximum use of war, invasion and occupation, like the military funded corporations do, why then you'll just love our three DLC.ORG candidates.

Meanwhile Kucinich plays the fool, the only candidate appealing to our intelligence and enlightened self interest, not just our heart strings. He really had no choice in the way the media cast him. Only the Media Barons get to choose the candidate's roles. Like a wrestling match, the “loser” can win over the audience like Dennis does, but unlike the wrestling matches, Kucinich got kicked off the stage, because the Media Barrons don't want to give up the POWER that BushCo has given the Media Conglomerations The DLC.ORG lackeys did as told.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
milo9
08:43 PM on 01/19/2008
How much further must we fall from grace?
08:20 PM on 01/19/2008
Can't we all just be sexy and get along?
08:19 PM on 01/19/2008
Obama=sexy
Edwards=sexy
Hillary=sexy

IN THAT ORDER!
06:32 PM on 01/19/2008
Ron Paul is definitely sexiest.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
kellygrrrl
05:34 PM on 01/19/2008
Sex Sells -- and the MSM is nothing but one big Marketing Machine.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
kellygrrrl
05:33 PM on 01/19/2008
Next Up: Rate the Spouses.

DemBots v. Republic*nts
05:11 PM on 01/19/2008
Actually sexy don't mean shit . especially since none of them have a brain that works. So the sexiest one would have to be my 63 year old wife and she has more brains than to try to be a lying politician.

If all they have to rely on is looks then we really are a bunch of dumb A98 H098s If we vote for any of them. MY WORD.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
OtayPanky
You're welcome
03:38 PM on 01/19/2008
A puzzling rant from a woman who recently did a real, live show'n'tell here not long ago on her "nice rack".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erin-kotecki-vest/bill-maher-can-suck-my-ti_b_64527.html

Of course, it was in service of a good cause...but still.
HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
raptor
03:09 PM on 01/19/2008
It worked for JFK.