I'm Ready for My Botox Now, Mr. DeMille

Some say timing is everything. 

I say lighting is everything.

And now, it looks like it's even more important in the world of politics, at least as far as female candidates are concerned.

The Drudge Report came up with this photo of Hillary Clinton a week or so ago and posted it with a headline that read "The Toll of the Campaign." Clearly this was not one of Hillary's better photo ops.  And her enemies have seized upon it.

That would have been bad enough, but then Rush Limbaugh had to get his two cents worth in by asking, "Does our looks obsessed culture want to stare at an aging woman [president]?"

So it's OK for us to look at a 70-something John McCain or rough and craggy Fred Thompson for the next four years, but if Hillary, or any other woman running for office, looks tired or her wrinkles show up more prominently in one photo than another, their political prospects are dashed unless they've got a Botox injection handy?

We all have our pet complaints about the presidential candidates' looks -- it would be silly to suggest that appearance means nothing (I'd like Hillary to get a good tailor to let the hem of her pants down a bit.  I know Tim Gunn would agree with me on this one). But to suggest that the nation isn't ready to accept a woman candidate without a face lift or some micro-dermabrasion just reinforces our obsession with looks in the same way as the reports about size two Jennifer Love Hewitt being fat.

I have a feeling those farm wives getting ready for the Iowa caucuses aren't worried about whether Hillary's skin looks more like it belongs on a thirty-something than the on the sixty-year-old woman that she is.  The Limbaughs and Drudges of the world are just trying to reinforce the old notions that women are worth nothing, not matter how smart or accomplished, unless we find a way to maintain our youthful looks.

As for looks and Rush Limbaugh?  He can borrow my South Beach Cookbook anytime.