What does "looking Presidential" mean anyway?

[Armstead]

This meme of looking presidential regarding Clinton after the debates, the forum, and in general.

What does that mean exactly? What does a President look and sound like anyway?

JFK, witty and urbane and polished? Jimmy Carter, humble, sincere, painfully honest? LBJ, brutal, crude but effective? FDR, patrician but warm, reassuring, cunning and tough? TDR, super macho, batshit crazy in some ways while a radical reformer in others? Ronald Reagan, charismatic, a mix of kindly and mean? Nixon, cold, neurotic, generally unlikable but very smart? Harry Truman, scrappy Midwest salt of the earth druggist? Bill Clinton, rascally charming good ol'boy who's deceptively smart and cunning beneath his Bubba exterior? GWB, the dim affable, mischievous frat boy? Obama, smart, charming, funny and a mensch? Ike, heroic but modest and straightforward?

There is no template for "presidential." Being in the office makes one "look presidential." Before that they're all just candidates and wanna-be's.

[Thinkingabout]

1. Speaking strongly but not loud and with ease of authority, knowing matters a president needs to

Respond without Trump sharks.

[Fred Sanders]

2. What it does NOT look like is a better question! Ergo: look at the GOP clown car!

"You know it when you see it" is a better answer.

Folks know it when they see it in Clinton, simple as that.

Confidence. Trust. Empathy. Knowledge. Calm. Charisma. Energy. Quick wit. Experience. Unflappable.

She has it all, and more.

Presidential.

[monmouth4]

3. Truman was a haberdasher, not a druggist...n/t

[Armstead]

7. yeah, I was trying to remember..

But the image of a habadaher is similar to that of a druggist.

[MH1]

4. Easier to say what it isn't than what it is.

Examples of Isn't: Trump, Palin, Rubio (IMO).

Christie often isn't presidential, but has his moments. Same with Carson. (With Carson, it's more that he seems "presidential" for certain types of situations, but it's hard to imagine him in a moment where passion in communicating a vision would be desired; never mind his other, definitely non-presidential qualities).

To your last sentence, there are tons of people I know who couldn't look presidential for one second even if somehow they were in the office. Most of them wouldn't even come near running for it. But then there's Palin and her ilk.

[Armstead]

9. "To your last sentence"

True to an extent. I wouldn't look presidential even if I had the presidential seal tattooed to my forehead...Press secretary maybe, biut that's be a stretch too.

But chances are if you met most of the presidents in real life you might have had the same impression. JFK was sickly very skinny, and kind of shy for much of his life. If you'd met JFK or LBJ, chances are you wouldn't think "This guy should be president."

Nixon, as bad as he was, did look very "presidential" when he was in office (before things caught up with him at the end).

[JaneyVee]

5. Having vast knowledge on a wide range if domestic and global issues.

Hillary has it.

[Gore1FL]

6. It's presentation skill and composure

"looking presidential" means they carried themselves well as in the pressure of the situation being described by demonstrating leadership..

[Autumn]

8. If you wear an expensive top dollar suit or designer pantsuit that costs around $1500,

have a hair dresser or barber on call anyone can look presidential.

[hedda_foil]

60. And a really good makeup artist on call 24/7.

[livetohike]

10. Answering questions in a calm, thoughtful, knowledgable manner and not spouting talking points

Not turning every question into a "we're doomed if we don't do this or that" and creating negative pictures of the future. Leaders stay positive and offer solutions.

You know it when you see it is the best answer so far on the thread.

[Armstead]

11. She has talking points. Just more and longer words in them

And IMO calm in her case is over cautious and over-modulated and controlled.

A similar master of the "calm thoughtful and knowledgeable answer" is Jeb Bush.

Ben Carson also answers questions in a calm thoughtful manner. The fact that his answers are crazy is beside the point. They are calm and thoughtful, and he comes across as a real live human.

[livetohike]

15. I'd rather have over cautious versus panic mode any day. Ben Carson acts medicated and Jeb! while

calm, seems like he is on the verge of nodding off 😊.

[Armstead]

23. Well it may be that Jeb is the overmedicated one currently because....

things aren't going real well for him.

But at his best, he is a good snake oil salesman. Seems thoughtful and reasonable and engaged. , and if the words coming out of his mouth weren't such bullshit, I'd find him reassuring.

[winter is coming]

19. The way things are going, the future *has* a lot of negative aspects.

Happyspeak ain't gonna fix them.

[davidpdx]

62. You mean like this one:

[treestar]

12. Sounding intelligent and looking presentable

It's interesting, because before the TV age, a lot of men won the office who would perhaps not be considered Presidential today.

You know it when you see it. This is why Trump, for example is not Presidential. The blowhard extremism, really ugly hair, saying really outrageous things, make him lack the gravitas we would want.

Interestingly, LBJ might not satisfy those standards today.

I might be biased, but none of the R Presidents seem Presidential to me since Ike. Don't know why they can't come up with anyone better. Both Bushes sounded too whiny. Raygun was a clown.

[Armstead]

41. I hate to think of what Honest Abe would have been subjected to

or US Grant...Or many others.

[longship]

13. Then, there's the 2016 GOP clown car.

Where all the front runners are either fucking barking mad and/or outright theocrats (many both).

And meanwhile, this same GOP has not only a majority in both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, but also a majority in governorships and state legislatures!

So, by all means, let's all continue to make infantile arguments about Bernie vs Hillary (like the White House alone makes political reality). My question is, under the US Constitution, what good is the White House when one has nothing else? that is right, nothing.

And why is that? It is simple. In spite of the partisan demographics, Republicans vote and Democrats don't. Fuck the GOP voter suppression tactics. The Democrats have been doing the GOP work for years.

The extent to which Democrats do not vote is the extent to which they lose. And in case nobody has been paying attention, we are losing everywhere. We are hanging by fingernails by a White House. If we lose that, we are all lost.

Vote! Vote Democratic! Or we may be lost. It is that simple. Our opponents have nearly everything. To deny that is to deny reality. Meanwhile two year old DUers here fight over Bernie vs Hillary months before any election. Typical US focus; ignore the big picture.

The UK and Canada have national elections, often with a few weeks notice. The US seems to be in perpetual national elections. Who does that serve? And what good does that do? I would argue nobody and nothing.

Some here are arguing for more Democratic debates a whole year before the election and months before any primary. Rubbish! I want US presidential campaigns to be six months long (at most -- UK and Canada often do it six weeks) between declaration and the November election.

Either that, or maybe we could turn the debates into a kind of "Survivor" episode, where the participants can vote somebody off the island. Given the ignorance of the US public it would make good TV, and it would make a lot of money for the sponsoring networks, but I do not think the public would be well served.

Which brings one back to what is happening here. Who does all this sturm und drang here serve? I argue that is not the Democratic Party, nor any principles on which it is based.

And BTW, I am utterly disgusted that there are so many DUers who apparently do not understand this.

[Armstead]

22. In the General Election one doesn't have multiple chioce

Well, there are multiple choices, but I am referring to the bi-partisan aspect.

The primaries are where people will actually have a choice as to what "vote Democratic" actually means. So the differenes in canidates are important.

I do agree with you that campaign season has become too long and convoluted and is too shallow and personality oriented (which was part of the point of my OP). But, as they say, it is what it is, and we have to work within that context.

[longship]

49. My point is precise. Who does such a system serve?

Why a perpetual presidential campaign?

There were Hillary 2016 posts here on DU prior to Obama's inaugural in 2013!!! For Christ sakes! It is no wonder that a year out DU primary discussion is so Fragmented that there are both Balkanized groups where any meaningful discussion results in one being banned from the group and a Dem primary forum which only seems to focus on infantile behavior.

I might point out that I do not believe that either of these are going to help Democrats to win in 2016. In fact, given everything else the GOP has, I think this spells utter disaster for us in 2016.

If we do not unite now, our country will have utter Hell to pay in 2016. And the extent that the apparent two year olds here on DU do not understand that is at our collective peril.

And yes, I am pissed at what can only be termed the utter childishness here.

[Armstead]

50. DU has been childish in years when Dems won and when Dems lost

This is a basket of kittens compared to 2008.

[longship]

51. That is absolutely no excuse!!!

Either act like an adult, or get the fuck out of the way of those who wish to carry on with respectful discussion, very little of which I have seen here recently.

People here need to stop acting like spoiled two year olds.

I am disgusted by DU recently. Far, far too much bad behavior.

It is utterly nauseating.

[kristopher]

33. +1

[demwing]

14. Who cares? I want someone who will ACT Presidential

and not just for the 1%

[artislife]

64. ^^^this.

[tk2kewl]

16. it's more non-issue-oriented nonsense

[winter is coming]

17. When someone is tightly focused on the wrapping paper,

you should wonder what's actually in the box.

[phantom power]

18. Closely related to "electable." Words that sound more meaningful than they are.

[unblock]

20. no, that's a bit like saying one "looks like an actor" if one is on stage.

i could also make a list of varying different acting styles, then come to the conclusion that simply being on stage is what make one look like an actor.

yes, some actors are fast-talkers, some are very expressive with their hands, some are graceful, some are intense, etc.

but people want certain over-arching things from actors. they want to be able to hear the lines at least reasonably clearly, and most of all, they want the actors to remember their lines and stage directions. the occassional goof is ok, but not on a routine basis.


same with being "presidential". people want many things from the president, but at a minimum they want the president to, in some manner, appear to be "in charge" and "in control" of the situation.

this is where shrub failed miserably. the office always seemed bigger than him, he never seemed in command of the facts, he never seemed to be in touch with what the country needed, he never seemed to be in charge even of his own people. worse, he always seemed to be representing his big donors first, and the republican party second, and the rest of the country could go to hell as far as he was concerned.

in short, it's like the difference between looking like "an actor" and looking like a "proper actor".

when people say someone "looks presidential", what they mean is they appear to be a reasonably good fit for the office, at least in terms of image. reducing it to simply being in office misses the entire point.

[HereSince1628]

21. Are we about to return to the discussions of 'gravitas'?

[Armstead]

25. I hope not

[Cheese Sandwich]

24. It means nothing. It's a a pure marketing word like saying cookies look scrumptious or

a luxury car looks elegant.

I got this presidential candidate to sell ya, she looks very presidential.

And they're all saying it at the same time so it's clear that was the coordinated message of the day.

I won't turn on MSNBC today but I bet on that channel you will hear the word looked presidential about 8 million times today.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

26. Canada's Prime Minister

?8

OMG!

[SoapBox]

28. Ok fine...

Hmmmm...

[OnyxCollie]

29. I'm not gay, but that guy's pretty hot.

I'm sure Canada's swooners will rush to defend him, after he campaigns left and governs right.

[Armstead]

38. Maybe Bernie needs a tattoo

no, I won't "go there"

I think rumpy dumpy ol' Bernie is quite presidential

[skepticscott]

27. Whichever candidate you're talking about

It means "I saw what I wanted to see in the candidate that I've already decided to vote for, and I'm trying to convince other people that they saw it, too"

[Armstead]

39. In an objectuve sense, I think you're right

[treestar]

42. in the eyes of the beholder

that's true, too.

This culture is also biased for good looking people, which explains why JFK seemed to be so Presidential. Whereas Nixon not so much.

[JoePhilly]

30. Sounds like you are trying to talk yourself into something.

[Armstead]

34. Not in the least. Clinton is smooth and polished. I don't care.

[JoePhilly]

43. But I heard she was shrill and unhinged.

I get a kick out of the anti-Hillary folks who attack her demeanor, and then spins around and claims her demeanor is irrelevant.

[Armstead]

44. I'm not going to get into pop-psycology so I'll keep my own counsel on that

[JoePhilly]

46. Some on this site were predicting that she'd implode under the pressure ...

... that Biden was going to have to step in and replace her when that happened.

Now she did extremely well in a debate, kicked butt (ha) in an 11 hour RW hearing, and had yet another great showing in this forum.

So clearly, being calm and knowledgeable under pressure is NOT a valuable characteristic in a President.

[Armstead]

47. As I said, I'll keep my own counsel

[Bread and Circus]

31. Corporate Professional... CEO like.

That's not what I value but it's what I take this term to mean today.

Yes Hillary has the most corporate professional CEO type of demeanor.

[OnyxCollie]

32. "Looking Presidential" is a completely subjective and unregulated term.

If you'll excuse me, I will finish my "premium" coffee and "natural" cereal, slip on my "superior" footwear, and start my day.

[Armstead]

35. But be sure to make it a "nice" day

[OnyxCollie]

37. "Lovely."

[Armstead]

40. From what I recall of Mad Max, I wouldn't suggest that

[davidpdx]

63. ^^ Thread winner

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

36. Being able to lie with a straight face.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

48. LOL!

[UglyGreed]

45. They are implying

that Bernie does not look presidential. They are being ageist and hate his hair!

[msanthrope]

52. A President looks and sounds like HRC. nt

[Armstead]

53. Or Bernie Sanders. Or Martin O'Malley /nt

[msanthrope]

55. No. Bernie's comportment was not Presidential. MoM? VP.

But let's not fool ourselves...... last night was Hillary's night.

[Armstead]

56. Opinions vary /nt

[Zorra]

54. Dunno, but Abe Lincoln and FDR still look presidential to me after all these years.

The Emancipation Proclamation and the institution of Social Security and long standing social improvements are my idea of what looking presidential is.

[mhatrw]

57. What it means here is that style is more important than substance.

Because, if not, there is no way my favored candidate won.

[azmom]

58. The empress has no clothes.

[rock]

59. Do you know what presidents looked like before W*?

That was presidential.

[AgingAmerican]

61. Republicans used to say that about Bush

Lets just say it's a very subjective measure.

[olddots]

65. its all about TV Q

what an agent looks for .

[99Forever]

66. It's a substitute for actually being Presidential.

[LWolf]

67. It means that our society is shallow.

That appearance means more to way too many people in our society than the content of anyone's character.

It's a sickness, the need to judge people so.

It's also something to fall back on if your chosen candidate can't win on issues. They can fail the issues, but be a figurehead, substituting "looking" for "being."

And that's a damned shame.

[whatchamacallit]

68. Image and celebrity are what it's all about in Dumberica n/t