News Release For Immediate Release Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004 Contact: Stephen Abbott 785-7796 Abbott Comments on Political Image in Charlotte (NC) News & Observer Article Does a candidate's Political Image matter in a campaign? Can something as simple as a haircut add credibility to a candidate? Those are the questions Stephen Abbott was asked by Charlotte News and Observer reporter John Zebrowski in advance of the New Hampshire primary in which North Carolina native son Sen. John Edwards participated. Zebrowski called to ask if Edwards' new haircut, for which he had been ridiculed, would make a difference. The short answer: yes. Below is the excerpt from the original article. "Up in New Hampshire, Stephen Abbott, a Manchester, N.H.-based political consultant, has followed the nips and tucks of the major candidates as they tweak their images to win today's primary. Sen. John Kerry, criticized for his wooden and imperious manner on the stump, now sports open collars and V-neck sweaters, and pumps his fist during speeches. Gen. Wesley Clark (disastrously) tried on an argyle sweater after it became apparent female voters were not flocking to the former supreme allied commander of NATO. In politics, Abbott said, image is nothing if there isn't substance to back it up. But, he noted, if people perceive a candidate negatively -- too young, too stiff, too angry -- it becomes much harder to get them to pay attention to the substance. Just ask former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who a year ago was considered a mellow guy. Or former Vice President Al Gore, whose many attempts to get his image straight in 2000 (think earth tones and Naomi Wolf) left many voters wondering who he really was. "An image problem can have a significant impact on how a candidate is perceived," Abbott said. "If Edwards is perceived to be someone barely old enough for the office it can really hurt him." If it becomes a major distraction, he added, the campaign must act immediately to fix it. "But even a political consultant can't add wrinkles." Stephen Abbott Communications is a public relations and political consulting firm in Manchester, New Hampshire. They can be found online at www.sacomm.com or by telephone at 603-785-7796. ### Return to Newsroom