Fox News panel ponders significance of Richardson's beard
SUMMARY: While discussing on Fox News' The Live Desk New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, Philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano said of Richardson's beard: "I don't know if it's playing into the ethnic card, or whatever." Host Martha MacCallum stated, "[Richardson] said, you know, 'It's hard for me,' he said to me once, 'people don't even know I'm Hispanic,' " and then asked, "So is that part of what he is ... cultivating here?" Giordano replied, "I think so."
On the March 24 edition of Fox News' The Live Desk, during a panel discussion of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, Philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano referred to Richardson's beard, and said, "Yeah, he looks better with it. I don't know if it's playing into the ethnic card, or whatever." Host Martha MacCallum then stated, "Because he said, you know, he also is -- I think he's the son of an American-born man and a Mexican-born woman, which is, you know -- I guess he shares that in some ways with Barack Obama's background. So he said, you know, 'It's hard for me,' he said to me once, 'people don't even know I'm Hispanic.' " She then asked, "So is that part of what he is ... cultivating here?" Giordano replied, "I think so."
In addition to MacCallum and Giordano, Democratic strategist Marissa Shorenstein offered her own theory to explain why Richardson and former Vice President Al Gore grew beards: "I will say that after Al Gore lost his election, he also grew a beard. And I think it has to do with being sort of macho and wanting to feel like a man after you've lost something." Later, after MacCallum and Giordano's comments, Shorenstein said of Richardson: " He's tan -- that's why he looks more Hispanic. I mean, it's not because of the beard.
From the March 24 edition of Fox News' The Live Desk:
GRIFF JENKINS (Fox News producer): Doesn't Richardson get credit, though, for saying, "Look, I like this change in politics. I'm signing on with Barack; it's the way I feel, and, you know, I was loyal to the Clintons." Aren't we going to talk about his beard, though?
MacCALLUM: Yeah. I think we have a side-by-side 'cause, I'm -- you know, everybody that I know took a look at him the other day and said, "What's with the beard?"
JENKINS: Yeah.
SHORENSTEIN: I will say that after Al Gore lost his election, he also grew a beard. And I think it has to do with being sort of macho and wanting to feel like a man after you've lost something.
JENKINS: This is the explanation of why Democrat [sic] failed candidates grow beards, but if you look at Gore next to Richardson, Gore's got the gray and it's all natural. Richardson's is dark and grim --
JEANINE PIRRO (Fox News analyst): I think he looks good.
JENKINS: I think he's campaigning to become the spokesman for Today's Man.
MacCALLUM: All right, Jeanine votes yes. Jeanine likes the beard --
PIRRO: I think he looks good. He looks thinner.
GIORDANO: I think he looks better, I'll give you that. Yeah, he looks better with it. I don't know if it's playing into the ethnic card, or whatever. That he's doing that too --
[crosstalk]
MacCALLUM: Because he said, you know, he also is -- I think he's the son of an American-born man and a Mexican-born woman, which is, you know -- I guess he shares that in some ways with Barack Obama's background. So he said, you know, "It's hard for me," he said to me once, "people don't even know I'm Hispanic." So is that part of what he is --
GIORDANO: I think so.
MacCALLUM: --cultivating here?
GIORDANO: I didn't know that he was Hispan -- he doesn't appear to me -- I mean, I know that he is, over the years --
[crosstalk]
SHORENSTEIN: What are you talking about? He doesn't need a beard to look Hispanic.
JENKINS: He just likes the beard.
PIRRO: He looks more Hispanic.
JENKINS: So what do you think?
GIORDANO: Well, OK, he does look more Hispanic.
SHORENSTEIN: He's tan -- that's why he looks more Hispanic. I mean, it's not because of the beard.
[crosstalk]
MacCALLUM: I don't like it. I'm not -- facial hair is just not my thing. I like him clean-shaven.
JENKINS: Marissa?
SHORENSTEIN: I don't like anyone with a beard.
JENKINS: I'm your guy. Jeanine?
PIRRO: Women or men with a beard, it's not good.
JENKINS: No facial hair. There you go.
MacCALLUM: All right, we'll take this conversation to the break, I suspect, and we'll be right back.
Unfortuneately, they are not good men (people), nor do they know their limitations. They stupidly believe the rest of us are as stupid as they are.
When there is nothing of substance to attack, they attack whatever they can--beard, cleavage, a tip too large, too small, haircuts, fat, skinny, black, white, pantsuits, pastors words (ages ago), what they wore, what they ate, which side of the table they sat on, who they sat next to, no flag pin, the way they laugh. . .
It would appear they have nothing of substance to attack. Sounds as though everyone should vote for a Democrat.
There's actually a point to the beard, and his deep tan:
Richardson's trying to look more Mexican.
It's obvious. he's always been defensive about this-- often treated as a wannabee by Latinos-- and he's jockeying for VP under Obama.
The tan?
It wouldn't have anything to do with being on vacation recently, would it?.
The beard?
I've been to Mexico a few times, and while mustaches are quite common, I have yet to notice the popularity of beards that you elude to.
"It's inconceivable to these morons that he just grew a beard."
QFT. Whether it's body language, clothing colors, cleavage, clapping, lapel pins, grooming, skin color, or facial hair...
To the right-wing slime machine, every visual distinction, no matter how slight or pronounced, has ulterior implications.
Needless to say, the standards are completely different depending on one's political party affiliation.
If you're a Republican, every visual distinction means you're "presidential."
If you're a Democrat, every visual distinction is evidence of treachery, calculation, deception, dishonesty, selfishness, psychological problems, secularism, Atheism, hatred of America, absence of patriotism, absence of leadership, or weakness in the face America's enemies.
I think it's worthy of discussion. Richardson looks like Sam the Sham.
That's the idea...
A few minutes ago you insisted that the "idea" was to look Mexican.
Now, you're saying he's trying to look like a musician from Dallas, TX.
Which one is it?
The childish ways of FOX Noise never ceases to amaze me....
How this is in any way relevant to anything that has to do with politics?
Of course..... if Hillary were to color her hair or put it up in a bun would likely warrant at least four days of coverage on FOX
FOX Noise is for chumps!
Most Republican's are chumps who blindly vote against their own best interests.
Hey guys, savvy up.
Richardson's grown the beard and gotten out in the sun because he is deliberately trying to look more Mexican.
He's playing a role. He's jockeying for the VP, and Latinos have never taken him seriously heretofore.
CARLIL
Find another bridge, we have enough Trolls right now
Carlil:
It wasn't that good a post the first time ... :)
These idiots claim that Gore grew a beard to make himself feel like a man.
I'll take the man who grows a beard to feel manly over a spoiled little boy who starts a war to make himself feel manly.
He pastes on his chest hair too. Got all three of them from his pubes.
He pastes on his chest hair too. Got all three of them from his pubes.
Snoopy, I love that other voice.
If Richardson's endorsement could bring Carville to call him Judas, I wonder what James calls the little woman.
"yes dear".
Sheeeeet
If I known he was gonna grow a beard I'd have voted for him in the primary, nice missed opportunity
He does look much more handsome in that beard, he should keep it.
Why this warrants "political" discussion, I have no idea.
"Who ever knew growing a beard was political?"
It is political. He's trying to look more Mexican, so Latinos take him seriously. Because they don't.
It's not just a beard-- check out his darker, tanned skin. It's a ploy.
Here's the rule: everything's political. Everything is thought out.
And here he is folks, Mister Operation Chaos himself
The Hillary supporter formerly known as Lib bashing Troll CARLIL
Forget it kid, the jokes on you, we know what all the concerns about
I don't know a single woman who objects to beards, but, then I don't know any women who are Republicans.
Hate to break it to you, but every woman objects to beards.
Ask any 20 year old girl what she thinks of beards. She'll throw up. Facial hair is the biggest turn off these days for women. It's on the same level as back hair.
Then you better tell your buddies at the next nascar rally.
Hate to break it to you, but every woman objects to beards.
Are you joking, or are you just slipping further into irrelevancy?
I last shaved in 1992, and my wife and daughter don't object (the latter has never seen me without my beard). Though I'm 43, it has turned a nice white color, and actually makes me look a bit dignified. I grew it for lots of reasons, not least of which is that anything that covers up my face is an improvement.
"It's on the same level as back hair. "
Who says back hair is a turn-off? Better not say EVERYONE!
If there was ever an example of why we DON'T need cable news, this is it folks.
That being said, most hispanic folks that I know can't really grow beards. They're thin and wispy for the most part, and not full and thick like old Bill over there.
I'm sure Fox will spin this into pandering to the hispanic vote somehow.
Throw in a poncho, and you've got yourself a deal.
Anything a fully developed adult male can do is threatening to republicans.
Grow a beard, show up for military service.... it's all the same to them.
Har! Good one, JK.May I add one to the list?
Resist their advances.
PIRRO: He looks more Hispanic.
Ohhhh...! I thought he was trying to look like a terrorist...you know, to lock up the Islamic fundamentalist vote for Obama. Thanks for the insight FOX. Don't know what we'd do without you... ;>)
Pirro's right.
That's the idea. It's phony for Richardson to be doing this. And I'm a left-winger who can see through it.
But Latinos will not see him as one of their own- never have, never will.
I'm a left-winger who can see through it.
You can't see through a window.
And anyone who says "all women hate beards" has never met a real woman in real life.
If "all women hate beards," why has the Van Dyke (incorrectly called a "goatee" for years) been so popular for so long?
Stop your trolling ignorance.
You know, Judas had a beard.
If you judge at all the paintings, so did Jesus.
"Aren't we going to talk about his beard, though?"
On "Fixed Views" Channel, frivolous discussions like these are actually planned and are specifically the top issues that matter to conservatives.
why did the GOP candidates all go bald? it must mean they are clueless Napoleonic narcissistic slimeballs
why do all the GOP candidates wear subdued-color suits with neckties? obviously, their loss of sexual desire and their aging, sagging lifeless corpse-like bodies (and the humiliation of being vastly under-funded compared to Hillary or Barack) make them feel emasculated, so they do that in a futile effort to appear male, with the side effect of emphasizing their unhuman characteristics
I find it to be a rather nice beard.
Just saying.