Posted on 07/03/2008 6:30:57 PM PDT by melt
The realization almost always prompts a double take, a moment of inspection, maybe even a debate: Is baby-faced Barack Obama, the symbol of a younger political generation, actually aging in front of us?
By his own admission this week, “the gray is coming quick,” so that it now dusts his head like snowflakes. The laugh lines cut a little deeper, and the crow's-feet around his eyes appear slightly more pronounced.
The presidency ages presidents, but so, it seems, has the longest campaign in modern history aged a candidate.
“By the time I’m sworn in, I will look the part,” Obama acknowledged to donors Wednesday in Colorado Springs, Colo., one month before his 47th birthday.
He confirmed what has been whispered for months among political insiders and raised in reader e-mails to journalists who cover him closely: Similar to President Bush and former President Bill Clinton, who came into office with far less gray hair and wrinkles than when they prepared to exit, Obama is already developing the presidential patina, a weathered look that builds after months of sleepless nights and stress.
In a campaign where age has been an undercurrent, at a time when 24-hour news coverage allows close examination of policies, pantsuits and personal tics, the graying of the presumptive Democratic nominee could be considered salient. Commentators subjected Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to such scrutiny — most notably Rush Limbaugh, who asked in December after an unflattering photo of her appeared on Drudge Report: “Will this country want to actually watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?”
“Men aging makes them look more authoritative, accomplished, distinguished,” Limbaugh said on his radio talk show. “Sadly, it’s not that way for women, and they will tell you.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
If his hair is already turning white from a mere Presidential race--- wait 'til he flips-his-wig with a real challenge in the Presidency....
I don’t mean to be picky, but the man went to Harvard. Shouldn’t he know to use correct grammar? He should have said “quickly”, an adverb, not “quick”, which is an adjective.
Remember when Bill Clinton had his hair colored gray during the 1992 campaign? I am sure the Obama folks will gradually do the same with their man. Seniors expect the Messiah to be a bit older.
Should have said “The gray is a-coming quickly”.
He’s a chameleon..like Hillary like most Dems...even though they are elitists wealthy snobs they have to bamboozle their dependents into thinking they are like them.
“...the man went to Harvard.”
Affirmative action students, such as Barry and Michelle, don’t need no stinking grammar.
Notice some thin spots, too. He’s aging fast. But who cares, we just want rid of him, no matter how!!!
“I don’t mean to be picky, but the man went to Harvard. Shouldn’t he know to use correct grammar? “
Granted, but that’s stuff he should have learned in the eighth grade somewhere, long before he ever thought of Harvard.
Jive talking you, he’s flexible.
Maybe somebody found and destroyed that portrait of himself that he had hidden in his attic.
Stress and vitamin deficiencies can cause graying.
Most people even don’t notice it happening until their hair grows out enough to show the difference in color.
Since he nearly shaves his head to hide hide his ‘fro, I’m not surprised that it’s showing up so quickly.
IMO, his frustrated ego has him almost at the cracking point.
Look for arrogantly vicious public tantrums in the near future.
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