Which of the presidential candidates would you rather have a beer with in 2008? That's the question that the National Beer Wholesaler's Association is asking. An interesting question, though we fail to see how that "quality" bears any relation to the requisite merits for elected office. If anything, it's probably a disqualification - most of our more entertaining drinking buddies would make terrible presidents, and fun for pints does not = good for president.
And yet, the poll is revealing. After all, our generation epitomizes the coffee shop and pub culture - we're generally not going to march, or riot, or get too dirty in one cause or another, but by golly if we won't sit around and talk about it over a cup of coffee or a couple of beers. For Gen X, perhaps the most important characteristic we look for in relationship, and in trusting someone, is authenticity. Who are more authentic than then the folks you regularly imbibe with, or the seemingly intelligent philosophe who's always at the coffee shop?
A few other comments:
The leader in the poll is Obama. This underscores our general perception of his campaign as one of identity politics and/or populism. "You drink with me and I'll drink with you...and we will drink together, and we will vote together..."
Ron Paul and John McCain are second and third. This probably because we can count on them having some pretty sweet war stories that will come out after pint 5 or 6.
One wonders why Huckabee and Romney are even on the poll. Mormon's don't generally drink, and the once Baptist preacher probably wouldn't even step in the bar with you to begin with. Maybe it's some sort of twisted desire to be the one who gives them their first drink.
Hilary is right in the middle. This is baffling. We're not sure who would vote to have her along on the pub crawl, especially since the thought of her laugh combined with alcohol reminds us too much of Jessica Walters as the ever-tipsy Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development.
Perhaps most surprising is how low John Edwards ranks. Surely, after the bookoodles of money he's made as a noble plaintiff's attorney, we could bank on ol' John picking up the tab for the night. Which is why we'd vote him number one.
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2 comments:
I have an interesting theory on this whole we hate John Edwards thing coming from the 18-36 US male constituency. Jealousy. Pure, unbridled, pre-adolescent, I want to strangle his youthful neck jealousy. Because I can assure you, if you polled the same age demographic among only Amenrican women, he'd be number one. With a bullet.
You may be on to something. We're remembering how the classic smart-attractive-athletic all-American in high school always had a group of detractors, mostly because they were jealous that that dude got all the chics.
Edwards, with his success and power, is the new quarterback on campus, and if what you say is true (young American women love him), then the 18-36 year old men will hate him. By default.
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