I was watching a replay of Senator Obama's interview with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show and I could not help but notice how much greyer Sen. Obama's hair looked. I decided to do some further research into some political commentary on this issue. Before reading some articles on the issue, I already had a theory of my own that the Senator used artificial means to darken his hair as there is no question in my mind that a person with grey hair has a much more distinguished, scholarly appeal.In the photo above the full jet-black hair of the Senator is in a picture from January of this year and the gray hair is from this past week. It seems odd that someone would gray that quickly, even with all the stresses of running a campaign. While the Senator's Campaign denies that he has dyed his hair, I found an interesting quote from a recent campaign stop that I thought really supported my initial theory:
Mr Obama has seemed resigned to his more mature look. "The grey is coming quick. By the time I'm sworn in, I'll look the part," he told supporters in Colorado in July.
It just seems too good to be true, that they "grey is coming in quick" and after visiting here, here, and here, the science suggests that stress would not cause grey hair overnight, as Senator Obama seems to be claiming.
I think this connects quite well to our discussion Wednesday, of the effects of a TV camera getting up close and personal with the candidates. In a prior era where every inch of a candidates appearance couldn't be analyzed and picked apart, the candidates were safe from worrying about wearing makeup, dying their hair, or going for a daily shave. However now, they know that every pundit and political analyst will be sure to analyze their appearance, and especially how much their visit to the barber shop or salon set them back.
In addition to the effects of the debate and argument that Mutz's "In-your-face" television describes, I think that the close-up nature of television forces the candidates to be sure that their apperance is always up to the highest of standards for fear that the already damaging effects of endless, senseless debate are not made worse by their poor, undistinguished appearance.
7 comments:
Do YOU really believe that Obama's hair color would make a difference at this point? Furthermore, with a white-haired candidate like McCain, wouldn't even a lot of grays still make Obama look better and younger?
I don't think that it will make an electoral change, but perhaps it might change the way other world leaders perceive him if he is elected.
What will the difference be in the way world leaders perceive him? If anything they are the least persuadable by things like this
Im going to see if there is any data on the effects of gray hair, but I feel that might be a long shot. I dont know if there would be a scientifically measurable difference between the two, but ill see what I can find.
Im going to see if there is any data on the effects of gray hair, but I feel that might be a long shot. I dont know if there would be a scientifically measurable difference between the two, but ill see what I can find.
You'll not see effects in hair-graying alone, but take a look at photos of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton before and after their Presidencies -- not the same as your point, I realize, but notice how dramatically they aged. True for Bush 43, also, but less dramatic to me. If Obama has aged this much just during the campaign, imagine the toll the Presidency will take should he win.
I seem to remember seeing a study that shows a link between gray hair and a sense of leadership. Of course I cant seem to find that study now that I need it. I do believe people perceive others differently based on age and gray hair is a sign of age.
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