October 3, 2013

Chris Christie smiling.



This post is the first in a series, premised on my observation that the candidate with the best smile wins the presidency. I'm not certain that's true, at least not all the time, but it explains a lot, as long as you start in 1976, when a man won the presidency almost entirely because of a gigantic, toothy smile.

So what I'm doing is a Google image search on a presidential candidate's name along with the word "smiling," then picking the least smiley photograph that comes up. I'm starting with Chris Christie because the results made me laugh, and I had a hard time choosing between the photo above and this one:

10 comments:

bbkingfish said...

Christie makes no significant political moves without consultation with the Bush family. If Jeb runs, Christie won't; if he doesn't, then Christie will. In the meantime, Christie's job is to do what he can to sabotage the prospects of interlopers from the right like Paul and Cruz.

Tank said...

bb

What is the basis of your statement?

Richard Dolan said...

Not bad pixs for a seriously fat guy. Like his way of smiling, too.

I saw him once at the MetOpera -- it was a Puccini or Verdi piece, forget which. He came with his wife (I assume it was his wife) and an entourage of NJ state police. He is (was then, anyway) a very large fellow. Too large for a single seat in the front row of the dress circle, as it happens.

The cops didnt have tickets, and so didn't get to see the opera. And CC didn't stay to see the fat lady die, leaving before the last act. But let's not go there.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

It appears in the second pic that Christie has the typical skin discloration, Acanthosis Nigricans that many obese people have. High levels of circulatiing insulin, being the cause IIRC. It does dissipate after weight is lost and insulin levels remain lower. I would love to hear an update on his weight loss, hope he's doing well with the lapband.

damikesc said...

I hope so as well, but given that I've seen little evidence of a major lifestyle change, I doubt it will end well. I've known people who got lapbands.

If they didn't change both their diets and their entire lifestyles, they'd be thinner for a while --- then go back to where they were, or bigger, within 2-3 years.

Lapband is not a good replacement for self-control.

Anonymous said...

If the lapband remains snug, which is done by scheduled and non scheduled fillings, the stomach remains smaller. Most people will get dumping syndrome and be violently ill if they eat too much or eat high sugar and/or fat. The gastric sleeve and other surgical methods seem to work better than the lapband in the long run. I know a couple of people who are over 6 and 9 years out from weight loss surgery and have kept the weight off, but do struggle and must watch their intake to avoid regain. So it appears they did learn to eat differently.

Lydia said...

Look at this young, much slimmer Christie; kinda cute.

Here he is in a late September video, looking better than he did even a month or so ago, so maybe that lapband thing is working.

bbkingfish said...

Tank:

Christie has been auditioning for the Bushes for 20 years. He campaigned for both Presidents Bush in Jersey. W. appointed him from relative obscurity to the big-time office of U.S. Attorney. The family heavily backed Christie's campaign for governor. He is a Bushie though and through and owes his political stature to them. Haven't you noticed how Christie starts blushing and giggling and bats his eyelashes whenever Jeb is nearby?

Mountain Maven said...

My theory is the most charming candidate wins, with Nixon in '68 being the exception.

That bodes ill for HRC