The image of politicians

All politicians are worried about when they can suck on camera, but neither have seen or will see the image of Francisco Camps anesthetized and on a stretcher.

And is that not all images are equal. To succeed, a politician can be fat or thin, handsome or ugly, male or female, it makes no difference. All that is required is to cause the empathy of voters. And, of course, a candidate prostrate lifeless as a show that photo of the president, can arouse compassion, solidarity and even sympathy, but is unconsciously associated with defeat. And, that, ever, ever.

There is, however, a peculiar political animal, Esperanza Aguirre, who likes to take the bull by the horns. As Gürtel case heard caught their counselor López Viejo and others involved and put out into the street. With the same strength, recently said "I have cancer" and went to work as usual. There is, of course, say "I have a suit," which is the greatest evil that afflicts our president for two years, although it has paid out of pocket, so the official silence on the matter is sensational.

That also is the image, obviously. And politicians and their advisers care to the smallest detail. For example, the late François Mitterrand lost two elections for president of France before his vampire fangs limaran "someone who never win his countrymen to believe that they will suck the blood," said one of his advisers.

Look bad is not the same as being ugly. There are ugly like them to staff from Perez Rubalcaba Jordi Pujol, through undefeated Carlos Fabra. Nor do women need to have a beauty standard. There we have Rita Barbera, who has won all his fights, in contrast to Trinidad Jimenez, who has lost every election.

Posts to find fault with the defeated, always in hindsight, of course, the self-styled experts may argue that it Amadeu Sanchis looks too pale, sallow Jorge Alart too dark or too Calabuig Joan. Claptrap. In the U.S. there have been dark candidate Barack Obama and that you have for president.

The real handicap in this society devoted to the cult of youth is age. Unlike other places, here, as a politician arrives at the 50 best clothing that is dedicated to saints, to be asked, if not, Joan Lerma, president of the Generalitat at age 31 and in the reserve from the 46.

The only thing in that age does not seem to matter, look where it is to lead the youth of a game. The paradigm is offered by the new generations of the PP, led nationally by Nacho Uriarte, 30 years, and the Commonwealth for the active and intelligent Veronica Marcos, 34.

But make no mistake: not everything that counts is the image. In our country, but be created in the laboratory a perfect candidate, not an acronym, what would winning behind oil. Therefore, according to one political scientist, "the PP will win the election but put at the head of their lists Caligula's horse."

And he may be right.