“....how shallow can one be?”
Whether truth or myth, it’s said that first televised presidential debate in 1960 debate between Nixon and Kennedy, was affected by the visual. Those who only listened said Nixon won; those who watched on TV said Kennedy won. JFK was young/youthful looking;Nixon was haggard looking/had a “5 o’clock shadow.” Turned the campaign toward JFK. Voters have been shallow for a long time now.
And as a result, we have the mess we have. No one thinks. They ‘Feel’.
I have no doubt at all it hosed that election. Lots of women fawned over Clinton. God knows why. He wasn’t much to see. Reagan was seen as Grandfatherly. Good for us but really, it wasn’t his looks nor Clinton that made them what they were for good or bad. It was their ideas. And people have to have a come to Jesus moment that those are what matter.