Aside from whatever sex scandals might surface, you'd think sex would have little to do with the upcoming elections. But sex seems to be figuring quite prominently in the presidential race - as in who brings the most sex appeal to the ticket. Obama had that one hands down until McCain picked Palin as his running mate. Now when Palin meets with foreign leaders, the paper talks about the men "swooning", and people are rushing out to buy eyeglasses in the same style as Palin's. How important is sex appeal in our choice of candidates?
Though we've had plenty of decidedly unsexy occupants in the Oval Office, sex appeal undoubtedly adds something to the ticket. We're drawn not simply to attractiveness but to the energy, the excitement, and the charisma of a sexy politician. Gore and Kerry would be considered attractive by many people, but were crucified for being stiff and stuffy. McCain also suffers from a lack of perceived warmth and user-friendliness.
Clinton - that's Bill Clinton - epitomized the qualities people are drawn to instinctively - the ability to connect on a personal level, enthusiasm, confidence, warmth, and a relaxed intensity. I'm certainly not suggesting that sex appeal should be the primary criteria for selecting a candidate, but the fact that it plays such a big role in elections tells us something about the importance of sexuality in our own lives.
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Yes, but be clear that Obama (b. 1961) and Palin (b. 1964) are not Boomers, but instead are part of Generation Jones (b. 1954-1965, between the Boomer and Xers.
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