Aesthetics are more important than qualifications when it comes to Donald Trump’s cabinet, editors at The Washington Post concluded in a new analysis. The president-elect, the editors write, is “looking beyond” candidates’ resumes and choosing people who “look the part.”
To prove their point, they single out several of his cabinet picks and how their appearances match up to their new roles.
To lead the Pentagon, Trump chose a rugged combat general, whom he compares to a historic one. At the United Nations, his ambassador will be a poised and elegant Indian American with a compelling immigrant backstory. As secretary of state, Trump tapped a neophyte to international diplomacy, but one whose silvery hair and boardroom bearing project authority.
As for Gen. James Mattis, Trump's nominee for defense secretary, the editors point out his physical resemblance to Gen. George S. Patton, who led U.S. troops to victories in World War II.
These choices, WaPo notes, suggest that Trump has “skin-deep standards,” adding that his predisposition toward beauty is probably due to his lifetime in entertainment.
On Fox News Thursday morning, Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL) noted that the WaPo editors left out a few details, such as the fact that regardless how the candidates look, they are “extremely successful in their own right.”
Judging by their report, maybe it’s The Washington Post who’s obsessed with looks.