# Is Obama handsome or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193 "2010-06-06T20:08:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/61 "2010-06-07T18:19:51Z")
Another guy chiming in to confirm that I’m mostly incapable of determining whether a man is attractive or not. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/62 "2010-06-07T18:27:24Z")
I think that hotness is also based a bit on the peer group of the person you’re judging. I think that the reason our young-ish presidents (Obama, Clinton, JFK) are viewed as attractive is just because most presidents are older and not really very good-looking, so the bar is set lower. So I would say that, yes, Obama is good-looking **as presidents go**. However, compared to the entire population of men, I’d say he’s average-looking. He’s not ugly, but I wouldn’t be like, “Wow!” if I saw someone who looked like that walking past me on the street. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/63 "2010-06-07T18:34:11Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > I wouldn’t be like, “Wow!” if I saw someone who looked like that walking past me on the street. I would. Hothothothothothothot. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/64 "2010-06-07T19:38:21Z")
Obama’s hot. And I say that as a guy. He reminds me of this guy I had a crush on at electronics school. Now, 99.99% of the time I am attracted to women… but this guy was the exception. The brains help, too. I think the charisma makes a big difference… but I have to wonder: what \* is\* charisma? Some people I know have it, and they aren’t model-quality… but it _doesn’t matter_. Can we separate hotness from charisma? > [@Chronos](#): > > Ever see pictures of [Senator Tester](http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/images/blogimages/2009/12/31/1262287359-473px-jon_tester2c_official_110th_congress_photo.jpg)? Plain-looking would be a huge improvement for him. That’s “ugly”? He looks completely normal to me. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/65 "2010-06-07T20:05:19Z")
Yup, Obama is definitely handsome. Nice eyes, gorgeous wide smile, looks healthy. Not the most handsome man in the entire world, but definitely above average. My GF doesn’t seem able to tell whether men are handsome or not. (We’re lesbians, btw). She thought that NCIS’ McGee was more conventionally handsome than Tony and didn’t realise that Nathan Fillion was conventionally handsome at all. > [@Chronos](#): > > Ever see pictures of [Senator Tester](http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/images/blogimages/2009/12/31/1262287359-473px-jon_tester2c_official_110th_congress_photo.jpg)? Plain-looking would be a huge improvement for him. I think he’s completely average-looking. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/66 "2010-06-07T20:39:19Z")
Maybe that’s a good shot of Senator Tester, but he looks pretty average to me too. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/67 "2010-06-07T20:45:09Z")
I’m a heterosexual woman, and I think Obama is handsome, but he’s not my type. I’m not attracted to him. But gosh he does have a [beautiful smile](http://media.photobucket.com/image/barack%20obama%20smile/el_leaved/Misc/senatorbarackobama.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/68 "2010-06-07T21:15:42Z")
He reminds me a lot of **nen** , for those of you from the SDMB dark ages. (The height? The ears? I dunno what it is.) think the whole family is gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![PsyXe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@PsyXe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PsyXe)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/69 "2010-06-07T22:15:06Z")
Hetero female here. Hot. And _cute_! The smile has a lot to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/70 "2010-06-07T23:44:50Z")
> [@hougaswd](#): > > Add in being well spoken, a direct gaze, in being in good physical condition. His ears are minus points, but I think he’d do well in most pick-up bars. I think they’re pluses! Two cute little handles on a handsome face, nice smile, delicious voice and hot, hot brain. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/71 "2010-06-08T00:18:43Z")
Physically he is probably a 6 out of 10. Add to that his charisma, sense of humor, and intelligence and he goes from cute to hot in an instant. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/72 "2010-06-08T00:57:57Z")
Decent body, attractive enough, but too old for me. For a guy his age , he’s reasonably good looking but not my type. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/73 "2010-06-08T01:38:01Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Basically, the ultimate indication IMHO is that he managed to get elected to be President. I don’t think anyone truly ugly would get elected, since I don’t think that’s how our system works. He’s at least handsome enough, but the broad standards of the US, to make it through the ‘too ugly to be elected’ vetting process. In my lifetime, we’ve elected Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon. Not what you’d call good-looking guys, any of them. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/74 "2010-06-08T02:45:29Z")
He’s in great shape and he’s always in a suit, that makes anyone look handsome. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/75 "2010-06-08T04:05:25Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > He’s in great shape and he’s always in a suit, that makes anyone look handsome. Not just a suit but well-tailored, expensive suits. This does add to his attractiveness, I will admit. And while I do think most guys look good in suits (even and sometimes especially if you are not in great shape), a poorly-fitting suit or a rumpled suit does not help. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193/76 "2010-06-08T04:15:49Z")
Yum. Very yum. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obama-handsome-or-not/542193.md?page=3)