Scientists Prove What We Already Knew: Hot Politicians Get More Media Attention

by Jocelyn Rousey | 6:18 pm, July 9th, 2010

» 4 comments

Thank you, Scientific Community, for brightening up our Friday afternoon with this wonderfully hilarious proving-what-we-all-secretly-suspected study. Published this year by a group of Israeli scientists from the University of Haifa’s Department of Communication, the study proves there’s a link between the attractiveness of political figures and how much attention the media lavishes upon them. (Hat tip to Gawker for immediately citing Rep. Aaron Schock as a beneficiary of this correlation.)

Of course, as the researchers explain, the study has an actual, practical purpose in the political world:

Nowadays, publicists and campaigners, as well as politicians themselves, are aware of the importance of media skills. Our study demonstrates how being attentive to outward appearance must be included in these skills, seeing as it can increase the politician’s exposure through the media.

So it looks Sarah Palin now has a legitimate excuse for spending so much of the RNC’s money on her wardrobe during the 2008 campaign. (Not that her ability to attract media attention was ever in question, mind you.)

The researchers, though, also had a brief point to make about the journalists who do all that lavishing of attention:

Earlier studies have shown that people generally tend to prefer the company of people who are physically attractive and even value them as more worthy people. Our study reveals that journalists probably behave just like the rest.

Really? We never would have guessed. The media’s obsession with Sen. Scott Brown‘s Cosmo spread was strictly about policy, right?

Aaron Schock, Cosmo, Gawker, hot politicians, Sarah Palin, Scott Brown, University of Haifa

ClearPoint

Come on you don’t need to lie to make a point here.

Palin didn’t spend that kind of money for clothing it was spent for her by the campaign and after the story broke they threw her under the bus.

On the afternoon of Aug. 29, 2008, Ms. Kline fielded a surprise phone call: Was she available to dress Sarah Palin for the Republican National Convention, which was to begin three days later on Labor Day?

“It took a moment to register,” she said. “Then of course I said yes.”

In other circumstances, Ms. Kline said, she could have bought Ms. Palin’s wardrobe for far below retail through her relationships with designers. But it was the Friday of a holiday weekend and “there wasn’t a person around,” she said. “The only avenue was retail, straight retail.”

She set to work in New York, buying elegant pieces at Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys. When she left for the convention Labor Day morning, she had “a pretty decent amount of clothing to choose from,” she said.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/fashion/19stylist.html
roxsteady

He has something else in common with Palin. He sounds every bit as stupid as she does. Most of the time I can’t understand a word he says.
Ninja

roxsteady said:
He has something else in common with Palin. He sounds every bit as stupid as she does. Most of the time I can’t understand a word he says.

Surprising response from an angry black liberal….
DrFunke

The Palin talk is hilarious

Right-wingers send emails out showing Palin and Hillary and ask….who would you want?

Then they get angry whenever someone tells a female joke about Palin being President……huh?