The
Des Moines Register released an article today from a pro-Republican political writer, David Yepsen, on yesterday's afternoon debate between the two major candidates for Iowa governor. Democatic candidate Chet Culver and Republican candidate Jim Nussle.
Yepsen writes:
Culver did well for another, nonsubstantive reason. He's about a foot
taller than Nussle. That makes Culver look "more gubernatorial" on the
tube. He simply looks the part.
While Culver's wife, Mari, likes to joke about him being a "big lug"
in their television commercials, this "lug" factor is important. In
politics, as in other occupations, if you look like you know what you
are doing, people often assume you do. It may not be fair, but it
happens, and it puts the short guys at a disadvantage on the screen.
Culver definitely looks like he's a foot taller than Nussle.
This is the ad Yepsen is talking about in this article in which Culver's wife calls him a "big lug". You can also see a Des Moines Register cartoon about it
here.