Oh, Those Strong, Handsome Republicans!

We used to think that politics was about ideas. It was about political philosophy, about "wonky" policy details, about getting things done.

These days, however, politics often gets reduced to appearance. Who looks presidential? Who looks strong? Who looks like he (or she) could stand up to the evil-doers?

Consider the latest Mitt Romney assessment by Politico chief political columnist Roger Simon. Simon declared Romney the winner of this week's GOP debate, writing that Romney is “[s]trong, clear, gives good soundbite, and has shoulders you could land a 737 on.”

This is not Simon's first verbal crush on Romney. In an earlier post, Simon wrote that Romney has “chiseled-out-of-granite features, a full, dark head of hair going a distinguished gray at the temples, and a barrel chest."

Oh, now we get it. Vote for Mitt because he looks presidential—right out of central casting.