News you can use! But pay no attention to the counterexamples... f'rinstance, Jack Welch, the must successful GE CEO ever...
Posted on 06/30/2007 6:30:45 AM PDT by asparagus
CRANSTON, R.I., June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The political pundits and campaign strategists are overlooking one key to candidate success in the 2008 presidential race, and the history proves it, said Dr. Robert Leonard, who is offering his 20 years of experience to the discussion. "Hair is the winning factor," he said.
"The historical record comes down squarely against balding candidates and shows that America wants presidents with hair," said Leonard, a hair loss expert.
Call it the hair factor. It's an indicator more accurate than the Presidential Height Index. The only exceptions have been Eisenhower and Zachary Taylor.
Leonard is Founder and Chief Surgeon at Leonard Hair Transplant Associates of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. With 21 years of experience treating hair loss patients, he knows how the public treats bald people. He is offering some insights on the primary races.
When it comes to presidential campaigns, hair matters, Leonard said, citing a Harris poll. In May, Harris Interactive noted that Mitt Romney, with trademark hair, had lost significant ground on his balding rivals. Harris posed the question: "Have American attitudes toward baldness changed?"
"No," said Leonard. Just one month later, Romney closed the gap in the polls. "Mitt Romney has the thickest, fullest hair among the leading contenders, and the others cannot match him because of their hair loss," Leonard said.
On the Republican side, Romney, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain have been defining themselves on the war, national security and moral issues. "Giuliani and McCain are also up against thinning hair and how it affects voter behavior," Leonard said.
Meanwhile, Fred Thompson, the favorite candidate of the balding blogosphere, is polling well in the early going. It won't last, Leonard said. "Society views hair loss as a liability, and given a choice, will pick the person with better hair. This occurs in the workplace, in dating, and in politics."
Presidential candidates face the same challenges that he has watched patients battle for 20 years, he said. "Unfortunately, when people compete for approval in their careers or in social settings, hair loss often works against them."
Among the Democratic frontrunners, hair loss weighs less on the race. "But astute observers should consider where hair comes into play," Leonard said. "For example, John Edwards is trailing in the polls behind Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, but Edwards, who is famous for his hair, could once again be the running mate."
John Edwards in a landslide!
Much better than Zogby.
does this mean John Kerry is really the President?
I'm leaving the country.
We haven’t had much luck lately with the full haired heads so this may very well be the time for balding Fred to step in.
“does this mean John Kerry is really the President?”
LOL
His is a very expensive “unkept” hairline.
That doesn’t count.
I wonder if this guy has ever seen a picture of Eisenhower or Truman.
News you can use! But pay no attention to the counterexamples... f'rinstance, Jack Welch, the must successful GE CEO ever...
Leonard has no concept of the power of FREDTHUSIASM to overwhelm even his opponents' most coiffured of heads.
Not only that, he has LEGIONS of ex-girlfriends who will campaign for him.
Poor Fred, so bald ugly he had to settle for a woman who Looks only 25 and is only smart enough to be a lawyer.
These people need to get a life!
Well Kerry won the who has the nicer hair index, and the who is taller index.
However there is a third index: Which candidate looks least like the Addams Family butler.
I knew Dwight Eisenhower stole those two elections!!!
Yep, while the guy with the hair gets the hottie. Life is soooo unfair.
"I always knew I could be President!"
That shows you how pitiful John Kerry was. He and Edwards should have won scalps down last time.
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