Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Here on Ricochet, we've had a few conversations about politicians' looks, and whether those looks are presidential. Tommy De Seno's wife, for instance, just doesn't think Paul Ryan "looks like a President." Pat Sajak thinks Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush all looked the part, but that Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, and Al Gore simply didn't.
Whenever this topic comes up, Chris Christie's weight inevitably surfaces in conversation. I get the sense that most here don't consider Christie's obesity a liability, and some might even consider it a net plus. For example, Scott Reusser says that, "for me, somehow it seems to add to his oh-what-the-hell-I'm-just-going-to-tell-it-like-it-is image."
But mark Bloomberg columnist Michael Kinsley down in the camp that thinks fat is bad. Very, very bad.
Look, I’m sorry, but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie cannot be president: He is just too fat. Maybe, if he runs for president and we get to know him, we will overlook this awkward issue because we are so impressed with the way he stands up to teachers’ unions. But we shouldn’t overlook it -- unless he goes on a diet and shows he can stick to it.
...Too many Americans may be heavy, but they don’t define themselves by that condition (at least not in a positive way) or automatically bond with fellow overeaters. Republicans insist that raising taxes on the rich is bad politics because most Americans hope to be rich eventually. Most overweight people hope to be thin eventually. So appealing to them in this way may not work.
...Unfortunately, the symbolism of Christie’s weight problem goes way past the issue of obesity itself. It is just a too- perfect symbol of our country at the moment, with appetites out of control and discipline near zilch. And it’s not just symbolism. We don’t yet know much about Chris Christie. He certainly makes all the right noises about fiscal discipline and seems to have done well so far as governor of New Jersey. Perhaps Christie is the one to help us get our national appetites under control. But it would help if he got his own under control first.
The question is not whether the opinion Kinsley puts forth is stupid. That anyone would dismiss a candidate solely on the basis of his weight is stupid, insulting, petty, shallow, and then some. The question is: do enough people hold the view that obesity is intolerable in a Chief Executive for it to matter for Christie's hypothetical WH bid?
- Comment (43)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (0)
Comments:
Dec '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Just goes to show America is weightist, too!
I think it was Michael Tomasky(?) on Hugh Hewitt's show yesterday who said Republicans have already selected Marco Rubio for the VP slot, so we should label the primary race, "The Contest to Find Marco Rubio's Running Mate."
If that's the case, given the multiple infractions Christie Kreme has committed against conservatism, I'd cynically suggest any health concerns arising from his girth might be marketed by his hypothetical primary campaign as a feature, rather than a bug.
I guess I should add that I like Chris Christie. I just don't want him to be our nominee.
Mar '11
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Rumor has it that the Left are already attacking Mr Christie for his weight, just as they do Mr Romney's religion, Mrs Bachmann's craziness and Mrs Palin for shooting moose from helicopters and carrying her daughter's baby.
For we conservatives, the problem with Mr Christie is more his Rino squishiness, and the fact that the Republican elite seem intent on pushing him on us.
Edited on September 30, 2011 at 8:18pmSep '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
It is totally unfair, but I know lots of people who are viscerally affected by the sight of a hugely overweight person. I think it will hurt him, though no one will admit as such to a pollster. That said, if the economy is worse in late 2012 than it is now, it might well be possible to elect someone two inches tall.
Sep '11
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
This is the part of the current state of the "democratic" process that drives me nuts: too many voters, dead and alive, are too stupid and/or lazy to do the research and make intelligent choices among the available options come election time. The state of the electorate is what makes me nervous, not the idiosyncrasies or physical attributes of the candidates. An electorate composed of passive fools will select for themselves a government of manipulative fools.
Oct '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Here's how I put it in my 1991 diet book:
Like it or not, people do and are going to think that way, even before the media begin to spin the issue.
May '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
I used to feel that way too, WC. But disappointment with the alternatives taken together with his appearance at the Reagan Library a few days ago have changed my mind. I laid my case out earlier today on the member feed.
Apr '11
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
C'mon! We'd go from a POTUS that's not allowed to be insulted, to a fat white Republican. Talk show hosts around the world should be lobbying hard for Christie BECAUSE of his weight.
Jul '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Fat is one thing but gargantuan another. There was a picture the other day of Christie walking alongside the jug-eared, bean-pole president. It was amazing how large the governor is. What a carnival photographers would have if he were the nominee, and you can already here the pious tut-tutting from the MSM. We would get endless stories about the obesity epidemic, and Mike Bloomberg wouldn't have to be squeezed very hard for quotes. I compare Christie with Taft, who famously got stuck in his bathtub once and had to be hoisted out with block and tackle. If you look at how fast the presumably fit Obama is aging, you have to wonder how four years in the White House would treat a wheezing, corpulent Christie. Then there is his politics which have not been closely examined. He just might be left of Romney on a lot of issues.
Aug '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Churchill was no string- bean.
Sep '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
A fat president is bad, but a smoker is okay?
Sure, only in the Democrat world.
P.S. Does Nanny Bloomberg know Obama smokes?
May '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
John Walker: Here's how I put it in my 1991 diet book:
..............................................
John, I'm disappointed in you. I would expect an engineering-based diet book to be able to somehow engineer copious amounts of good food that are very very low in calories. Instead, we get to manage deprivation!
Sep '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Kinsley is a joke, and has been for many years. I have long since stopped being disappointed in his shallowness and tendentiousness.
And to all you liberal goo-goos out there (all three of you on Ricochet) I have only this to say: THERE'S A LOT OF US FAT GUYS OUT HERE, AND WE VOTE!!!
May '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Didn't Christie famously joke that we'd know if he was planning on running for President because we would notice that he is suddenly losing a lot of weight?
Obviously, he hasn't lost any weight yet. That, along with his repeated declarations of "no, I'm not running" suggest to me that this is all a non-issue.
(By the way, if he were to run, I think his sense of humor on the issue would diffuse a lot of the criticism and endear him to voters. I think he would be adept at turning it around.)
May '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
I think that was Haley Barbour -- something like, "If I start losing a lot of weight, you'll know I'm either running for president or I've got cancer."
Speaking of Barbour, he's mentioned that Americans might be looking for the "anti-Obama" this time around. Christie's weight and bluntness,might be just the ticket in this regard.
Still, it's all most likely moot. There's very little chance he's running, IMO.
Nov '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Sep '11
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Yes, but wouldn't it just be so much fun to have an obese president following on the failed presidency of the man whose wife made it her life's work to eliminate obesity?
Glee.
Aug '11
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Presidents have medical conditions, some are prone to vices. I can recall the media playing off of Clinton's fast food addiction. Cheney, as others have mentioned, has had serious heart issues for years. If I recall Jack Kennedy had multiple issues besides just a bad back and didn't Reagan have polyps removed a time or two?
I don't care about Christies weight. I care about his ability to lead this nation. I don't care if he eats two twinkies for breakfast everyday as long as we get back on track towards people working, our deficit dwindling, our taxes controlled and stupid regulations are repealed. If he's the man to do the job (and I have no idea yet) then I will support him.
Mar '11
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Thank goodness today's journalists are willing to tackle the tough issues that go to the heart of the future of our Republic. I will sleep well tonight knowing they are on the case.
Edited on October 1, 2011 at 5:18amMay '10
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Scott Reusser
I think that was Haley Barbour -- something like, "If I start losing a lot of weight, you'll know I'm either running for president or I've got cancer."
Oops, I got my overweight governors mixed up. :)
May '11
Re: Obesity, a Roadblock to the White House?
Ariel Sharon.
PIcking an unhealthy candidate to run a country has unhealthy consequences.