One Face: McCain likes to show his healthy side

[Leo 9]

One Face: McCain likes to show his healthy side

by OWCH

Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 08:50:20 AM PDT


In modern day politics, a candidate's image means a lot. Nothing is left to chance, everything is calculated. Even kos mentions, a candidate needs to invest in good photos.

The day after Barack Obama clinched the Democratic Nomination, and egged on by the observation that McCain is killing himself via lack of good video, I spent a couple of minutes perusing John McCain's website.

What I noticed after only a couple of pages, is that it seemed to be every picture of McCain only showed him from his right side.

I have performed a rudimentary analysis of the self-promoted (and thus carefully controlled) images of the Republican presidential nominee, the results after the jump.

OWCH's diary :: ::
I'm no human-face modeling expert, hell, I'm not even an amateur, so if there are people out there who do this for a living, cut me a break (or at least suggest the real way to do it). But I at least wanted to give everyone a diary worth reading, not just questions and work for other people.

Methodology

I have looked around at nearly every page I could find on McCain's website on one specific day (June 5th 2008), and graded each photo of McCain based upon this scale:

Full left profile (FL) -- one can only see the left side of his face, opposite eye not visible
Quarter left profile (QL) -- one can see the left side of his face, opposite eye visible
Full frontal (FF) -- one can see both eyes, cheeks, and ears
Quarter right profile (QR) -- one can see the right side of his face, opposite eye visible
Full right profile (FR) -- one can only see the right side of his face, opposite eye not visible


snip

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/5/115020/2210/327/529532

Also see...

Why is John McCain's right eye always so much more open than his left eye?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3424954

[hedgehog]

1. My speculation (ands that's all it is, I am have no medical training

whatsoever) is that periodically Mccain's jaw swells due to fluid accumulation because the drainage nodes were removed. I think he has to have this area drained occasionally. There was a time last winter when this area seeemed to be enlarged, then a few days of photos where the area looked bruised.

[NYC_SKP]

2. This is unkind, distasteful, and unnecessary. What is the purpose of this post?

What, really, is the point?

First, the man has had surgery on one side of his face. I had a perotid gland removed and have suffered swelling. It's not fun, would you like to try it?

Second, there are plenty of substantive issues and topics around this Republican about which one could begin a discussions.

And so, again I ask, what is the point?

[rhett o rick]

3. I agree. Attack his issues, his stances even his behavior, but not his appearance.

I don't even approve of attacks on his age. His state of mind and temper are fair game.

"I have accepted cheeses into my life" sorry don't know where that came from

[symbolman]

4. Absolutely a good point..

his face belies a cancerous condition, this man from what I heard has a 66% chance of cancer return within 6 years.. The cancer was mere millimeters from his BRAIN and that's all hunky dory with the PC Patrol here on the DU, eh?

We DO NOT want an ancient man attached to tubes, dying, with a Rage problem who wants endless War.. So this is MORE than Vanity..

Thanks for you post.

[NYC_SKP]

7. The post is about image, not cancer, my friend.

Talking about health, cancer, longevity is fair game and a useful topic.

PC my ass, it was that the post is petty and juvenile that offended me, it's the kind of thing you see on F.R, not here.

[symbolman]

11. His face IS his Image

and Skin is in many ways an indicator of mental health and physical.. Being in a wheelchair is one think, missing part of your face because its been removed due to recurrent CANCER is a Huge Issue..

You youngins' I swear, like you fell off the Turnip Truck..

I have no regard for anyone that offers ANY cover, PC or otherwise for McCain - this is War.

He's too OLD, that's code for TOO OLD to do the Job, period.

[Stephanie]

5. He has swelling in his jaw area as a result of his skin cancer.

Not really something that should concern us.

[crankychatter]

6. me too... that's why I scan my ASS for Personal's ads - nt

[rox63]

8. It's a result of scar tissue from cancer surgery on the right side of his face

I have no issue with that. But I do think it's relevant that he's had cancer 3 times, and even though he has survived all of it, it doesn't bode well for his long-term health.

[TexasObserver]

9. His health is relevant to the race. His face is relevant to his health.

Anyone who doesn't think this guy can die in three months from melanoma should do a little reading.

He does not look healthy. He looks and talks as if he might have had a stroke. His wife, who is almost 20 years younger, has had a stroke, and he might have, too.

Don't be bothered by detractors who attack you. Ignore them. You're right.

[TahitiNut]

10. They'll show the other side when he advocates health care for everyone like he got his entire life.

Oh. Wait. I guess that'll be ... never. :shrug: