Speaking as a devil's advocate only, could this be considered as a sign of his character? Could one reasonably maintain that it is evidence of excessive vanity if he just wants to look good or excessive ambition if he did it to get elected? Or should we frown at Drudge and Fox for what is essentially gossip?

I vote for gossip. We do not need to know every nook and cranny of every public figure's life, especially the titillating bits. Listening to gossip, even if it is on TV, is bad for ones soul. How does knowing about Kerry's (alleged) botox or Brittany's overnight marriage help me to love God and my neighbor? Gossip is Just Another Tool Of Satan (JATOS). One of these days one of my acronyms is going to take off.... (Dream on. -- Ed.)

Yours,
Wince

As long as he doesnt go full scale, tweak-the-face, tug-and-pull, facelift ala Nancy Pelosi, he shouldnt have a problem.

Speaking as a devil's advocate only, could this be considered as a sign of his character?
Could one reasonably maintain that it is evidence of excessive vanity if he just wants to look good or excessive ambition if he did it to get elected? Or should we frown at Drudge and Fox for what is essentially gossip?

Answering your devil's advocate I would say that it is not a sign of his character. If it were then many women would be accused of lacking character. Some women color their hair, wear makeup and dress nice because looking good makes them feel better.

Excessive vanity? I would say no. Excessive vanity would be having enough face lifts to change your ethnicity. (William Shatner, who looks Asian, comes to mind)

Excessive ambition? Upgrading your appearnce would not be excessive ambition. Pandering to every political position is excessive, wanting to look good is not.

So, gossip it is.

"Elections are about issues not wrinkles."

Kennedy-Nixon debates?

I suppose I should add that as a life-long Republican, I preferred K over N even at the time. Lesser of two...

To be fair, Nixon DID look like a ghoul.

I read over on NRO's Corner that Kerry has been treated for prostate cancer. Some treatments can cut down on your testosterone, and actually make your skin look more youthful. So if the pictures are accurate, it could just be a side effect.

Hell, he can have all the tweaking and tucking that he wants, and I still wouldn't care. Not, mind you, simply that I would never vote for the man, but that it just doesn't matter.

Unless he gets to the Advanced Michael Jackson Plastic Surgery Stage. If he ever needs putty to hold on the remnants of his schnozz, then I will start worrying.

Excessive vanity would be having enough face lifts to change your ethnicity. (William Shatner, who looks Asian, comes to mind)

Yeah, like he's the first person to come to your mind. I know there's a rule against mentioning someone else's name on here so I'll let that one slide.

Style over substance. Again.

I noticed the difference in expressions (and lighting!) myself, too.

Just like the before-and-afters for any weight-loss program (for example) - befores are always poorly taken, badly lit, and unflattering poses with awful flothing. The afters, of course, are the exact opposite. The posing effects alone could make the exact same person on the exact same day look significantly different.

Now, if we can get some pictures of Kerry in the same poses and similar lighting, we can at least judge whether or not any change has actually occurred.

"What's the big deal?"

Apparently the "looks French" thing wasn't working.

Rosemary, I'm with you on this one---who the fuck cares? Unless Jan and Melissa Rivers are going to cover the campaign, it's meaningless.

Basically this is a trivial personal type of expose for a nation with an insatiable appetite for (as you said, Rosemary) gossip. I see many men today coloring their gray hair, sporting diamond stud earring(s) and if a little botox gives a man a more pleasant friendly look, then go for it, I say. A smooth forehead will not sway many of us voters but image building takes many aspects into consideration and appearance is not the least of them. If I had a forehead that furrowed, you bet I'd be at the botox doctor's office tuit suite.

""Elections are about issues not wrinkles."

Kennedy-Nixon debates?"

I read once that, of women voters, slightly more voted for Nixon. Shows that women do indeed vote for the better-looking man.
I'm not a man's man but I've always liked the _style_ of Nixon. Agnew, too. And Haldeman and Ehrlichman.

As any showbiz person knows, you don't need Botox to get rid of wrinkles around the eyes, just Preparation H. Ancient Hollywood remedy.

I couldn't care less. Until it reaches the Nancy Pelosi state of face as armor plate, it doesn't even bear mention.