The electorate wildly prefers politicians who look good. That's
been a truism in United States races since Richard Nixon's
infamous sweaty
performance in a televised debate with JFK in 1960. Not that
looks weren't important before, but they played far less of a
role. America's celebrity fetish, which mushroomed during the
last century, only adds to the equation.
Along those lines, it's undeniable that one factor in Barack
Obama's victory last year was his smooth demeanor, particularly
when contrasted with the aged and seemingly crotchety John
McCain. On the reverse side of the political spectrum, I doubt
Sarah Palin would garner the same following among men were she
comparable to, say,
Dianne Feinstein in appearance.
But Americans don't like arrogant schmucks, either. Thus the
necessity of combining good looks with an approachable demeanor.
Bill Clinton, somehow, managed to pull it off. Barack Obama won't
be able to.
Why? Because he's too much of an egoist and lacks the political
savvy to muffle it. Sooner or later, the American people will see
that. And they won't like it.
Obama's narcissism has enough political implications to catch the
POLITICO's
attention — even garnering a spot in the publication's top
seven stories the president doesn't want told:
It's a common theme of Washington buzz that Obama is
over-exposed. He gives interviews on his sports obsessions to
ESPN, cracks wise with Leno and Letterman, discusses his
fitness with Men's Health, discusses his marriage in a joint
interview with first lady Michelle Obama for The New York
Times. A photo the other day caught him leaving the White House
clutching a copy of GQ featuring himself.
White House aides say making Obama widely available is the
right strategy for communicating with Americans in an era of
highly fragmented media.
But, as the novelty of a new president wears off, the Obama
cult of personality risks coming off as mere vanity unless it
is harnessed to tangible achievements.
Obama will increasingly be unable to harness the power of his
celebrity appeal because the situation on the ground won't tally
with his grandstanding. Afghanistan and the economy are two
examples. A nice smile and rhetorical wizardry come off as
elitist and smug when causalities are rising and the employment
rate is hovering at double digits.
