People and looks today. Obama was once considered too thin to be president. Some woman was considered too sexy to be a banker. And now comes (further) speculation that New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who has repeatedly denied any plans to run for president in 2012, is simply too fat to be president. Much like the time he was considered simply too fat to be governor.
A recent Zogby poll of hypothetical Republican candidates showed Christie first in the field, ahead of tight-bodied Sarah Palin, and the only Republican beating skinny Barack Obama. But, Christie is fat. “America has not had a truly obese president since William Howard Taft a century ago,” Reuters’s Daniel Trotta explained on Monday. With further research, Reuters discovered: “Stereotypes persist that fat people are lazy, unintelligent and unsuccessful. The bias is even worse for women.” Alas, “American views on overweight candidates may help determine the political future,” Trotta concludes.
On the other hand, Christie’s ability to give an awesome bear hug and his open aversion to dieting could make him a “relatable” candidate. Or maybe people ultimately make decisions about who they want to be president based on, you know, who they believe can best lead the country. Politicians like Jon Corzine already poked fun at Christie’s weight way back in 2009, and those schoolyard taunts didn’t get to voters that time. So all this speculation about Christie’s weight makes it sound like this nation is superficial or something!
Can New Jersey’s Chris Christie overcome his weight? [Reuters]
Related: Being Fat Was Actually Chris Christie’s Secret Weapon
