Obama's Svelt Problem

WSJ: "But in a nation in which 66% of the voting-age population is overweight and 32% is obese, could Sen. Obama's skinniness be a liability? Despite his visits to waffle houses, ice-cream parlors and greasy-spoon diners around the country, his slim physique just might have some Americans wondering whether he is truly like them." Obama's also taller than average, which is well-known to be a disadvantage in presidential politics.

In all seriousness, if the predominant aspect of superficial physical appearance that voters have in their head is anything other than race, I think Obama should consider himself lucky. America can handle a skinny president.

Comments

"In all seriousness, if the predominant aspect of superficial physical appearance that voters have in their head is anything other than race"

It won't be.

http://strategy08.wordpress.com

Posted by Dan | August 1, 2008 10:13 AM

WSJ movie review:

"But the leading man is tall, slim, and handsome, and most people in America are shorter, fatter, and uglier. So obviously this movie will be a flop."

Posted by DTM | August 1, 2008 10:15 AM

The current incumbent and his father are not exactly overweight.

Posted by SLC | August 1, 2008 10:16 AM

OT

I thought that Mr. Yglesias was moving over to the Center for American Progress today to join the other left wing pinko commies. How come he's still here?

Posted by SLC | August 1, 2008 10:21 AM

*svelte

Posted by Midwest Product | August 1, 2008 10:24 AM

Actually, I think they're on to something here. I wouldn't be surprised at all if this, in combination with Republican and, before that, Clinton attacks on Obama's 'normality' had some kind of negative effect.

Presidents, at least in the televised era, are not fat. So he's no different in that respect. But the so called 'heartland' is getting fatter and fatter and Obama is not so much thin as he is downright GQ. 'Svelte' was the perfect word.

As far as movie stars go, I think Heartland Fatties expect their movie stars to be svelte. They don't expect normal one-of-us folks to be and sometimes they get a hair up their fat asses and want their president to be like them.

He's had trouble in the heartland. Why couldn't this be a factor?

Posted by matt h | August 1, 2008 10:25 AM

An aside - When did someone with Obama's physique become "skinny?" Even 30 years ago he'd be normal or maybe fit.

Compared to JFK Obama is Dom Deloise. I doubt he's much different hgt/wgt than Carter or Nixon.

Only in a country of fat slobs could someone with Obama's body be called skinny.

Posted by hankest | August 1, 2008 10:32 AM

The article estimates that he's 6'1.5" and about 180 pounds. Oh dear. Is America ready.

Posted by Jake H. | August 1, 2008 10:36 AM

matt h,

There is precious little evidence the American people actually want Joe Everyman to be their President. We have repeatedly elected really rich people, prominent military figures, and even an bonafide former movie star. So, I actually think a far better case can be made that electing a President is like casting the leading role in a movie than that electing a President is like holding up a mirror to the average American.

Posted by DTM | August 1, 2008 10:42 AM

So according to the Wall St. Journal, Taft would beat the tar out of Lincoln in this election year.

I'm going to file this under "Conservatives Will Attack Obama for Anything He Does" and ignore it.

Posted by PaulW | August 1, 2008 10:44 AM

So according to the Wall St. Journal, Taft would beat the tar out of Lincoln in this election year.

I'm going to file this under "Conservatives Will Attack Obama for Anything He Does" and ignore it.

Posted by PaulW | August 1, 2008 10:46 AM

"The article estimates that he's 6'1.5" and about 180 pounds."

Which is to say, he's normal, actually on the higher end of normal weight.

If ever anyone needed proof that we're a nation of slobs - the fact that people believe Obama is skinny is it.

He's normal.

Posted by hankest | August 1, 2008 10:48 AM

But what if times get worse and we need to eat him? OTOH Kaine looks kind of beefy...

Posted by Delicious Pundit | August 1, 2008 10:54 AM

The natural progression from "isn't it a problem that many people are willing to wait hours to hear him speak? and that his oratory is so polished? and that he inspires people?" is to "and is America ready to follow a thin man?"

I suppose if, like Bush, he conveyed that no national emergency would ever keep him from clearing some brush, the thinness might be a problem. But he seems to be one of those fortunate few who respond to stress by eating less.

Posted by Deborah | August 1, 2008 10:54 AM

"But in a nation where 85% of the voting age population has normal cheeks could Mccain's chipmunk cheeks be a liability?... his chipmunk cheeks just might have some Americans wondering whether he is truly like them"

Posted by Ethel-To-Tilly | August 1, 2008 11:02 AM

DTM,

All of which I more or less agree with, sort of. I'm certainly not arguing that Obama is going to lose because of this. I think it might be one factor in one demographic -- rural rustbelt and Appalachian areas with high rates of obesity -- where he has shown some relative weakness.

I'm also not arguing that the WSJ is reporting this in good faith.

What is interesting to me here is because obesity has increased so much so quickly, we have entire communities that are majority overweight/obese. I would think that this might lead to changes in the way individuals within those communities think. It very well might occur that something of a community-wide support group mentality develops.

I don't know -- seems at least worthy of thinking about. I'm sure the motives of the WSJ aren't so pure of course.

Posted by matt h | August 1, 2008 11:03 AM

It seems like the McCain campaign is using the low-rent version of Karl Rove's "attack your opponent's strength." You're not supposed to spin the strength as a negative, you're supposed to claim that what he's supposedly strong on is what he's weak on.

Instead, the bumblers at the McCain campaign are trying to go with a "Barack Obama might just be too popular, too charismatic, too smart, and too good looking to be president. Is that what we want?"

Yeah, good luck with that.

Al, however, provides indefatiguable hilarity with his repeated attempts at, "Obama isn't that smart!" also using the "attack his strength" as too much of a blunt instrument to be believeable.

Posted by Tyro | August 1, 2008 11:06 AM

matt h,

I still think the more plausible theory, even with people in the Rust Belt or Appalachia, is that they are looking more for a President who conforms with some ideal, rather than a President who strikes them as average.

But I suppose it is possible our culture will eventually reconfigure our body ideals to conform with our growing obesity rates. Nonetheless, I would still suggest that movies will respond as fast or faster than politics to any such trends. So we might worry about the chances of slender politicians when people like Jack Black start regularly beating out people like Leonardo DiCaprio for non-comedy leading man roles. Until then, I think slender politicians can rest easy.

Posted by DTM | August 1, 2008 11:21 AM

now this takes the cake as the single most insane bit of commentary regarding public perceptions of Obama that I've seen so far. and I don't mean 'insane' as an intense form of 'bad', I mean literally - this is a point of view utterly detached from objective reality.

Obama might lose because he's in too good physical condition. someone got paid to write this!

Posted by onceler | August 1, 2008 11:22 AM

Doesn't the taller candidate usually win?

Re: "There is precious little evidence the American people actually want Joe Everyman to be their President. We have repeatedly elected really rich people, prominent military figures, and even an bonafide former movie star."

Don't forget Bush won by playing down his wealth, portraying himself as "Joe Everyman" and painting his opponent as a wealthy elitist.

Posted by Mike | August 1, 2008 11:35 AM

Everyone knows Obama would not be where he is today without being skinny. The dominant theme of his political career has been playing the weight card. And before you accuse me of wieghtism, you should know that I'm 6'4", 120 lbs.

Posted by ibid | August 1, 2008 11:41 AM

Since I pay Obama's healthcare bills, I'm glad he's taking care of himself.

Posted by The Taxpayer | August 1, 2008 11:48 AM

Okay, thanks WSJ, Obama needs to gain weight. Thanks for your concern. I'm sure if he put on a few pounds, there would be no danger of wall-to-wall "Obama is getting fat" coverage, right? That's never happened, has it?

Posted by lobstakilla | August 1, 2008 11:53 AM

It's pretty funny what people think will hurt Obama like: he's too thin, too many people like him, the people who support him like him too much, too many people want to send him money, he's too calm under pressure, he's trying too hard to get elected and today I read that he spent too much time at the U. of Chicago seeking consensus. I have long said that when people don't want to do something, any excuse is as good as another.

Posted by Th | August 1, 2008 11:54 AM

BUT AL GORE IS FAT!

Posted by Bloix | August 1, 2008 12:03 PM

It's hard to know what to say about something this stupid, because it's stupid in so many different ways.

But here's the one I'll take: has anyone at the WSJ ever met a fat person? Is it anyone's experience that the majority of fat people are actively hostile to thin people? Every place I've ever been, it's much more likely for, say, someone even remotely close to being thin to be actively hostile to fat people.

On the plus side, if this issue gains traction, maybe my fat girlfriend and my thin self can be unity props at Obama campaign events. "They said it could never happen. They said that fat people and thin people could never get along..."

Posted by LittleMac | August 1, 2008 12:34 PM

It's hard to know what to say about something this stupid, because it's stupid in so many different ways.

But here's the one I'll take: has anyone at the WSJ ever met a fat person? Is it anyone's experience that the majority of fat people are actively hostile to thin people? Every place I've ever been, it's much more likely for, say, someone even remotely close to being thin to be actively hostile to fat people.

On the plus side, if this issue gains traction, maybe my fat girlfriend and my thin self can be unity props at Obama campaign events. "They said it could never happen. They said that fat people and thin people could never get along..."

Posted by LittleMac | August 1, 2008 12:37 PM

Uh, being taller is a disadvantage? I thought that the data suggested quite the opposite. Namely that the taller candidate was much more likely to win than the shorter one. Not to say that the shorter candidate doesn't ever win but I thought that height was a big plus.

Help? Sources?

Posted by glockenspieler | August 1, 2008 1:14 PM

glockenspieler,

Matt was being sarcastic. As indicated by his very next words, "in all seriousness..."

But this really is the stupidest criticism I've ever seen. It also manages to insult millions of Americans at the same time. Quite a feat really.

Posted by Vincent | August 1, 2008 2:32 PM

What else can you say but the US has the stupidest fucking media on earth?

Posted by jim | August 1, 2008 3:11 PM

I thought of saying "another liability for Obama is the good judgment he displayed in opposing the Iraq war, which most Americans, who showed bad judgment in supporting it, may not be able to identify with." Then I realized that when it comes to a lot of elite media, this point is not sarcasm -- sadly, it's got several grains of truth.

Posted by Julian Elson | August 1, 2008 4:15 PM

"Obama's also taller than average, which is well-known to be a disadvantage in presidential politics."

Since when??? Ronald Reagan, 6'1"; George H. W. Bush, 6'2"; Bill Clinton, 6'2-1/2".

In fact, there's an argument that the taller person wins: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heights_of_United_States_Presidents_and_presidential_candidates#The_taller_man_wins.3F.

Posted by Judy | August 1, 2008 4:36 PM

What percent of the population cannot go out in the sun, cannot raise their arms, and whine constantly about how they suffered years ago?

Posted by Hedley | August 1, 2008 5:10 PM

I still say run Angelina Jolie for President. Thin, angular, bony, tattooed, bi-sexual, fucks like a mink, cuts guys with knives, ex-drug addict, multi-millionaire action movie actress - she'll still beat either McCain or Obama, despite not being remotely like most people.

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | August 1, 2008 6:30 PM

Uhhh. George Bush runs like 10 miles a day. He is skinny and absurdly in good shape for his age. Did the fat American people have a problem voting for him?

Maybe there is some other characteristic about Obama that makes him a hard sell. What might that be...

Posted by jeff | August 2, 2008 3:45 PM

This is some seriously dumb shit. Might as well ask if we'll accept a 70 year-old guy with a comb-over for president. Stop with this madness!!

Posted by John Q Public | August 7, 2008 5:39 PM