ShortGate! Is Kucinich really the shortest candidate?

[Truth2Tell]

So one of the common knocks on Dennis Kucinich is that he's just tooooo short. Presidents need to be charismatic and Presidential and all, don't ya know. But Dennis is just too much of a shorty to qualify. In fact, conventional wisdom has it that he's the shortest candidate seeking the nomination this year. But is this really true? Could someone else be fudging their height? Hmmmm...

The Clinton campaign has in the past put out materials listing Hillary as five feet, eight and a half inches tall. This cardboard cut-out is five eight:

http://www.cardboardcutouts.com/0084.html

Dennis Kucinich is five foot seven.

http://www.who2.com/denniskucinich.html

But wait... it turns out it's only recent reports that place Hillary at a towering five foot eight! Older biographies consistently list her height as only five foot six?!

http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/hillary_clinton/index.shtml

http://www.blurtit.com/q889595.html

Has Hillary grown? Is someone fibbing? Would she really do that??

Let's look at photos from the last debate. Who looks taller in these pics? Hillary or Dennis? Hmmmm. Close call to me. And certainly Hillary doesn't have an inch and a half on Dennis. Not to mention that she's in heels.





So is Hillary trying to fudge the height issue? Could it be that it's Hillary, and not Dennis, who's not quite up to presidential proportions?

Could this be the beginning of ShortGate?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. I Was 5'8 In The Fourth Grade

DSB

[MADem]

2. Ya know, when you get older, ya shrink.

Except for noses and ears, generally. Some bits might head for your knees, but that's generally not a positive aspect, either.

Do you honestly expect a female candidate to be measured against the males in the height department? Males are generally taller than females, on average. Do you really think, with all the "stuff" worthy of discussion in this race, that this kind of stuff matters?

What's the next physical contest? Penis length? Ooops. She's "hosed" on that one. Brassiere size? Richardson might give her a run for her money...

If people voted for or against based SOLELY on physical characteristics, LBJ wouldn't have had a prayer. He had the height, but he looked like a basset hound.

Generally, the physical characteristics are an "AND" quality. They don't kill the candidate by themselves, they just are a "pile on" discussion point.

Fictional Example: "His monetary policy is fucked up, AND he has a permanent case of pinkeye AND a huge bulb on the end of his nose." Or "I can't back his views on immigration, AND he's ding-toed and sweats excessively."

[Truth2Tell]

6. I think this is more important

than nose length, by far. But not as critical as ear size. Dennis has that one hands down. And it's clearly important because Dennis obviously hears what the people are saying. :)

[tammywammy]

3. I hope you're kidding with this

as being a legitimate reason to not vote for Hillary.

[pnwmom]

4. I heard she was 5' 4. She's not trying to fudge anything. n/t

[madrchsod]

5. "Short People got no reason...."

Randy Newman`s "short people"

dennis`s wife makes up the difference

[pnwmom]

7. Yeah, and she loses points for the required shoulders-to-hip ratio, too.

Part of the gender card that has been played against women forever is that they're shorter than men on the average.

[Bicoastal]

8. Dennis is 5 ft 7?!

I better not run for public office, then. If people enjoy making fun of Kucinich's height so much, what would they do to a guy who's only 5 ft 6?

(And slouching...)

[FREEWILL56]

9. I think if somebody judges a candidate's abilities via height

that they aren't going to vote for the right reason. I would guess that if Dennis was taller that hillary would scream and play the height card too. Come to think of it, if it were to come down to rudy and hillary that she couldn't say much as they are both supposed New Yorkers that wear dresses, but it would be debatable who has the bigger pair.:eyes:

[man4allcats]

10. Screw conventional wisdom!

I can't believe people even talk about this. I know Americans are probably the most superficial people in the world, but Jesus Christ! Give me a fucking break, please! Presidents need to be charismatic and Presidential? Where in hell has that gotten us? It's said that many Americans voted for Bush because they'd like to have a beer with him. Why?! He's an idiot! They wanted to sit and drink with a stupid drunk? JFK had charisma, and he was certainly presidential. But he didn't just talk the talk; he walked the walk. Bush can't even talk the talk. Fact is he can't talk any talk other than gibberish. Unfortunately crass, materialistic, gibberish worship is what this country has come to. There is no longer any substance. Everything is smoke and mirrors. There is a candidate, one candidate, who has a chance to turn this country around, to steer it back in the direction the founding fathers intended. That candidate is Dennis Kucinich. And what are we as Americans concerned about with the candidacy of Dennis Kucinich? He's too short. I have to say, if this country does finally and ultimately go to hell, it's because it deserves to.

I don't know why you'd want to be president of this country, Dennis. I wouldn't, but I give you credit for your courage, your insights and your principles. You have my vote.

[Hardrada]

11. How tall was Stalin?

Clue: Not Very Tall!!!

[durrrty libby]

12. Well look at her posture. It is perfect, and that's what truly counts

:eyes:

[Truth2Tell]

19. Well, she certainly is

posturing.

[durrrty libby]

20. Prove it

[Truth2Tell]

22. Just look at her posture here:

[durrrty libby]

23. That proves some big wig threw a fundraiser for her because

a bunch of his dem employees asked him to.

Big whoop

[Truth2Tell]

26. No real Dems work for Rupert Murdoch. n/t

[durrrty libby]

33. Still haven't seen any proof of "posturing" just sillines

BTW "real" dems or any old dem still have a vote. Bet that makes you mad

[Truth2Tell]

34. I would never suggest anyone shouldn't have a vote.

Ever.

However, Hillary could demonstrate where she stands on the issue of "one person, one vote" much more effectively if she would take an actual stand on the issue of Puerto Rican Statehood, and end her long-standing equivocation. (Otherwise known as posturing)

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:IpAM1Ojds6wJ:www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/09/22/puerto_rico/print.html+hillary+clinton+puerto+rican+statehood&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=12&gl=us

Just sayin'

[Perry Logan]

13. One word: Napoleon.

Though Wikipedia informs me that Napoleon may not have been all that short:

Many historians have recently argued that, contrary to popular belief, Napoleon was not short as often depicted in popular culture. Although historians disagree on Napoleon’s precise height, it has been suggested that he was actually slightly taller than the average early 19th century Frenchman.<31> Some historians claim the French emperor's height was recorded as 5 ft 2 in French units, corresponding to 1.68 meters or 5 ft. 6 in Imperial units. A French inch was 2.71 centimetres while an Imperial inch is 2.54 centimetres.<32> The metric system was introduced during the French First Republic, but was not in widespread use until after Napoleon's death. Other historians reject this claim, pointing out it is unlikely that Napoleon was measured with a French yardstick after his death. Napoleon was under British control on St. Helena, and was almost certainly measured with a British yardstick, which would suggest that the measurement of 5 ft 2 in is accurate.<33> A counter-claim can be made that Francesco Antommarchi, Napoleon's personal physician, despised the English, considered their touch "polluting," <34> and would never have used their yardstick to measure his emperor. It's also unlikely that the only time Napoleon's height had been established conclusively was at his autopsy, yet there are no known sources citing that Bonaparte was under five (French) feet in height, which he would have been necessarily if the autopsy measurement had been taken in Imperial units.

Napoleon's nickname of le petit caporal may add to the confusion, as non-Francophones may mistakenly interpret petit by its literal meaning of "small"; in fact, it is an affectionate term reflecting on his camaraderie with ordinary soldiers (for example, petit ami means "boyfriend" in French, petite amie means "girlfriend," and mon petit chou <"my little cabbage"> is a term of affection). He also surrounded himself with the soldiers of his elite guard, who were usually six feet or taller.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_I_of_France#Napoleon.27s_height

[Truth2Tell]

17. The problem Perry,

is that this kind of thinking is a slippery slope.

The next thing you know, we'll be choosing our candidates by Dwarf throwing:



Is this really what you want our political process to be about?

Think about it.

[vireo]

25. That's a pretty mean thing to be doing to Michael Dukakis! nt

[Truth2Tell]

28. So was this

[vireo]

29. They forgot the arrow pointing to Poppy's head!

:D

[Truth2Tell]

30. Is that the same helmet he's wearing in both pics?

I think the turret was actually aiming at Lee Atwater's head.

:evilgrin:

[riona]

14. I'm ready for a change

This primary I'm in the mood for brainy, short, peace loving vegans.

[mtnsnake]

15. Please show me a link where the Clinton campaign ever said Hillary was 5'8 1/2" tall.

That is simply not true and you know it.

[Truth2Tell]

18. I emailed the Clinton campaign to ask how tall

she is. No response yet.

What are they trying to hide? :shrug:

[Vickers]

16. Shakira is only 5'-2" tall.

She has my vote.

[THUNDER HANDS]

21. she's not 5-8

I've stood next to her. She's, at most, 5-7.

[Texas_Kat]

24. Deleted

[Truth2Tell]

27. Shhhhhhh, don't wreck it!

I'm having too much fun. :)

[Basileus Basileon]

31. She has the smallest penis, too. nt

[Truth2Tell]

32. Link? n/t