If I Could Give John Kerry One Piece Of Superficial Advice, It Would Be...

[THUNDER HANDS]

To not get anything done to his face, and not get too much makeup when he goes in for those 5 debates with Bush in October.

I like Kerry's face the way it is. It's long and droopy and statesmanly. It just looks like what a kid growing up would think a president would look like.

Sorta like the way I felt growing up and seeing Ronald Reagan as president.

I was a kid, didn't know anything about politics, but I just thought Reagan looked like what a president should look like.

John Kerry has that similar facial quality.

I know, this is a stupid thing to worry about, makeup and all. But you and I both know this is going to be analyzed over and over ad nauseum if Kerry goes in there looking like a game show host instead of presidential candidate.

Gore looked like one in the first or second debate (I think the first) and the stupid media picked up on that. I also remember a time in the primary, I believe it was when Kerry won the first super tuesday primary - he had a pink or peach or orange color tie on and he had his hands clasped with a big grin on his face.

And his face itself looked like it was plastered on.

I know, I know, it's a stupid thing to worry about. But Drudge ran that photo and it brought up the whole Botox thing. I just don't want to see that brought up again during the debates, when the issues they're arguing over should take presidence over how Kerry's face looked.

Or what color tie he's wearing. (please not peach)

Thank You.

[MrBenchley]

1. I'd tell him to use shorter sentences...

Be punchier and give the networks short soundbites.

[LuLu550]

2. It isn't a stupid thing...too many people vote on the superficial

A guy called Al Franken the other day and said he couldn't vote for Kerry because he had no sense of humor, like Bush.

I think Kerry shouldn't do anything to his face, either but because it is one of those things the right likes to latch onto and run into the ground.

If I could make a suggestion, it would be to work on his speaking style, get a bit more inflection and animation into it. ANd learn how to give shorter answers, as well.

[Jane Austin]

8. Yes, work on speaking style!

The tone of his speech, the cadence and the pitch (if it were music) is all down.

He sounds like a Monseigneur reciting the Mass in Latin.

Close your eyes and see if I'm not right.

I want to hear that kid who testified before Congress asking "How can you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam?"

Very serious, but not like a Monseigneur.

[UrbScotty]

3. Have fun, don't be uptight

...unless you have to.

Remember, politics is largely about perception. Let the American people perceive you as a fun-loving guy, with, of course, a serious business attitude.

[eaprez]

4. I Dont Know....

....if I agree that the public wouldn't like a "game show host"....they didn't have a problem electing a Chimp....a game show host would be a step up the evolutionary ladder.

[UnityDem]

5. Unfortunately, this stuff does matter

to many people.
Please lose the pink and peach ties...they stand out and take away from the message....stick to red or blue....yes, shorter speeches and some clever catch phrases would also help.

[patricia92243]

6. Quit using ten dollar words like he did on Imus. Clinton was just as.....

smart but knew better than to use language that would make him look like an intellectual snob. Kerry beware!

[blondeatlast]

7. Agreed wholeheartedly. I remember as a 12 yo watching

Nixon under the pressure of Watergate. He sure as hell wasn't helped by his makeup people, who ought to have known better.

I agree, Kerry just looks more presidential than chimpy, and a light touch on his appearance in the debates will win people over. Very cool and collected.

[AntiCoup2K4]

9. "Dumb it down" a little bit for the "middle america" crowd.

The right wing media types like Hannazi and Mush like to play up a myth of the "liberal intellectual elite" as if being educated and intelligent were a bad thing. Yet people have bought into it, as crazy as it sounds. I honestly believe a lot of people out there are comfortable with a literal idiot in the White House, because hes "one of them". Just look at the average level of intelligence (or lack of) at most right wing boards where most of the peeopl cant propirly spelle or uze' the wronge!! punktyuoation? all the tyme!?.

I'm far more concerned with the non-superficial stuff when it comes to Kerry though.

[quinnox]

10. My superficial advice

When Kerry talks, he occasionally will stick his tounge out I guess to wet his lips, a bad habit that is not appealing in front of the cameras.

[MaggieSwanson]

11. Agree with you there about the tongue

..it makes him look reptilian.

I like his face, and I like his calm demeanor; it gives the impression of him being in control. I saw him speak several times in Iowa and think he will do a fine job.

I just think that Dennis would do a better job.

[gulliver]

24. Yep, licking his lips...

Very annoying.

[shoopnyc123]

12. SMILE!!!!!! HE NEEDS TO SMILE MORE!

[Hippo_Tron]

19. True, Kerry has a GREAT smile...

When he uses it.

[flpoljunkie]

13. There are only three Presidential debates scheduled... and only one VP

And you can bet Bush will not agree to more.

[yelladawg]

14. Don't forget the Veterans

I know he has told Veterans groups to sit on their thumbs until after the convention. I hope he doesn't make an Al Gore mistake.

[MoonRiver]

15. Be yourself. Gore suffered because he tried to please everybody's

expectations of the "perfect" presidential candidate. * was so arrogant he didn't give a flying f&%$. (Still doesn't and he remains the simple minded tyrant we've grown to know and hate.) But that's another thread.

[Dr Fate]

16. Gore wore more make-up than a French whore...

...he looked ridiculous too...

I agree- I have not seen Kerry do this- but he certainly does not need to wear make-up like Gore did...

[King of New Orleans]

17. Don't film a fishing show while US Soldiers

(and Iraqis) are being killed in a war you're the cause of.

Oh, I guess that's advice for the other guy.

[flaminbats]

18. Tell voters how supporting him will help them directly...

Instead of yammering on about healthcare costs, donut holes, and malpractice suits..Kerry should explain that anyone will be able to afford quality health insurance under his plan. He should ask voters why does a President who claims to be pro-life have no respect for the living? He should ask..why is it in our interest to reward the party in power which has failed America on National Security, on morality, and running the Federal Government?

Most importantly, he must declare that all who died during 9/11 must not become the scapegoats for incompetence and fraudulent morality. Let those who had the resources and duty to defend our citizens now pay the price! :grr:

[Jane Austin]

20. That's great advice.

You should send it to someone in the campaign.

[yellowdawgdem]

21. Use Howard Dean as a guide

and don't start caving in to the right all over the place. If you do that, you will lose respect from both parties. Also be careful not to fall into any of the traps set for Al Gore- ones he fell into easily. One of those will be an attempt to make you look uptight and on the defensive, and like a know-it-all. thank goodness you are in a better position than Al Gore was, since people kinda already know alot about the shrub by now. I really hope you can be relaxed and at the same time get some zingers in there, John. I'm really rooting for ya!

[yellowdawgdem]

22. Oh, yeah, and I forgot

to mention that you should go over all of the questions that might be asked, one of which will be something like, why people should vote for somebody who is going to raise their taxes. And have a very reasonable comeback to that. In fact, if you had the one-liners from every repub attack ad, that would probably cover most of the questions they might throw out there.

[hippiechick]

23. He HAS been 'overmade' for his last few appearances ...

IMO ~ it may be spring, afterall, but peach colored cheek blush on a 50-something year old man just doesn't do it.

Kinda hard to take his policy stances seriously when he's got more makeup on than Krusty the Klown.


:hippie: