2008 Woodie Awards
Looks can't run the White House
Scott Cullinane
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: Opinion
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It has been said that politicians today cannot compare to the great thinkers of the past. Though I have never subscribed to such ideas, having seen the Democratic candidates put forward, I am indeed shocked by their shallowness; shallow in every way but their greed.
Taken on merit, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have very little qualifying them for the presidency. The only reason they are where they are is because of their looks. Does anyone think Hillary would be where she is today if she were a man? Does anyone think Obama would be where he is if he had white skin?
Hillary is only as prominent as she is because of who she married. Though she has played her hand well, that is not the mark of a good president. Hillary's greatest, and perhaps only, contribution to American politics is screwing up her national health care idea in the '90s, allowing the Republicans to take Congress in 1994.
If you want Hillary to win, then be honest about why you are voting for her. If you want a woman for the sake of having a woman, then Hillary is your gal. If you want experience or leadership on the Democratic side, vote Dodd or Biden.
Obama, like Hillary, has a few qualities that have gotten him to where he is-he is black and has a nice smile. He spent some time doing state politics and then went to Washington, D.C., but he has yet to leave a mark. His legislative highlights include sponsoring bills like the one to make July 12, 2007 "National Summer Learning Day."
At first I had a hard time figuring out how Obama was giving Hillary a real race. Then a friend hit upon a great thought: it's all the spontaneous media attention. Chris Matthews and Wolf Blitzer needed someone to talk about for nine months and created the Obama candidacy. The media pumped up a freshman senator to seem larger than life to run against Hillary so they have a story. I know many on our campus have become Obama supporters, won over by his flashy smile and good looks, but when it comes down to voting time the media will ditch Obama like an ugly blind date. When it comes down to it, the media elite is in Hillary's pocket.
These two leading candidates, Hillary and Obama, represent the lessening of politics. We have reached a point where looks matter more than everything else. I hope neither of these candidates win and America sees them for what they really are.