The Ron Paul and His Disgraceful Shoes
Manolo says, the Manolo’s internet friend Darren sends these pictures of the presidential candidate Ron Paul, and asks the question, “What would the Manolo say?”
The Manolo would say, “Ayyyyyyyy!”
He would also hope that the Croc in Chief would be replaced by something better than the Wal-Mart trousers and the ratty Reeboks.
0
Comments
gemdiva 17 years ago
Well Ron Paul could NEVER be mistaken for RuPaul, that’s for sure. My former Boss had a pair of shoes just like that. He was a total Jerk! Perhaps not unlike the portrait of Dorian Gray, the “evil” thoughts and deeds of the individual are reflected in their shoes.
Toby Wollin 17 years ago
I realize that I may be accused (ahem) of being an old granny on this, but if Mr. Paul’s goal is to be taken seriously(and let’s be global and tell him that we’re talking seriously about anything here – business, politics, etc.), then he needs to put far more thought not only into his shoes but also into his clothing. This “outfit” is the same Rx that has been perscribed for young sales guys since about 1970. Yes, he looks marginally better than our Decider in Chief in his bike shorts and little black socks, but this outfit sends the message that Mr. Paul is someone who clings to the safe and unimaginative and who lacks a certain sartorial confidence. Does this man not own a decent suit? Or a decent pair of shoes? Well made, correctly sized men’s shoes are not only stylish and confident…unlike most women’s shoes, they are comfortable, so he has absolutely no excuse for wearing this “I’m a high school football coach on my day out” footwear.
Gigi 17 years ago
Oh. My. God. Even my 19 yo son knows that this is not the way to turn oneself out if one wants to be taken seriously. Even the WalMart trousers would be instantly upgraded with a pair of good shoes.
Melissa 17 years ago
This reminds me of a teenage trauma — my prom date wore black sneakers with his tuxedo. Just because they’re black doesn’t mean they’re formal, gentlemen.
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
He is so poorly dressed that if I didn’t know who he was I would think he was just a bum who happened upon some clothes out in the street. Nothing he is wearing even fits him, not to mention the out-dated style and the shoes.
Comparing this to GW’s croc photo is almost unfair because in this picture, Paul is clearly trying to make some kind of serious impression. In the one of the commander, he clearly was on his day “off,” so to speak.
Sharon 17 years ago
Not only does he need to change those shoes but the pants seem way to long. I think he might need to invest in a tailor here soon.
JK 17 years ago
Is he not married? Maybe there’s problems at home, no caring woman would let her husband out of the house like that.
John Galt 17 years ago
My God, it sickens me that the votes you people cast are worth the same as mine.
Do the commonweal a favor, and on 11/04/08, stay at home and read GQ or Cosmo.
And for those aqsking “What is 11/04/08”, let me just say…. I’m not surprised.
Genevieve 17 years ago
Um, John? The point of this blog isn’t politics, although you will find a few political bloggers here. The point of this blog is to poke gentle fun at fashion, celebrities and the occasional politician, without being partisan. That is why this is called the “Shoe Blog.”
You obviously are a first time visitor, because not only would a long time reader know that the Manolo does not discuss partisan politics, instead focusing on the outward, occasionally amusing appearances of our leaders of all parties, but would also know that name-calling, nasty comments or superior, arrogant behavior is unacceptable.
I’m sure whatever politician you are supporting would be proud to know that you deem other people less worthy of participating in a representative democracy than you.
gemdiva 17 years ago
Genevieve……You are my new hero. Incredibly well said!
LaVida2 17 years ago
Business casual with an emphasis on the casual.
But in the same breath, I say the man knew he was going to be standing all day, so he decided to take a more comfortable route. At least they aren’t crocs or red reeboks (remember those god-awful things).
Rubiatonta 17 years ago
And is it not ironically perfect that the obnoxious comment above is signed “John Gault”? I’m sure Ayn Rand wouldn’t see the humor in this blog, either. (Yes, “John,” we do read tome weightier than Cosmo and GQ around here!)
Mere Plebian 17 years ago
John Galt,
actually thanks to my local ward leader and a system that’s completely shot, I vote twice most election days. So my votes are worth twice as much as yours.
If that troubles your Randian heart, it’s okay – the walking around money is pretty good. Enough for a new pair of kicks come November 5th.
Jerry 17 years ago
I applaud Genevieve and the blog for their insight commentary on blogging, on shoes, and, of course, on the candidate. His gray slacks, blue blazer outfit is “1962 prep school”; this redefines “conservative”, doesn’t it? His shoes are simply appalling…
4micah 17 years ago
You’re all wrong. His thrift is our gain. These cheap shoes prove it. This guy knows how to cut government waste and save money, allowing hard-working taxpayers to save money. What, would you rather have a fat-cat decked out in crocodile-skin shoes and an expensive, custom-tailored suit? Those are the guys who drain us dry and run all over our rights, all with a bleached-white smile on their faces.
Steve-o 17 years ago
Why is anyone surprised by this? Obviously sartorial splendor is unconstitutional, end of story.
Thomas 17 years ago
Ron Paul usually takes the stairs. And with his knees as they are, that means he needs comfortable shoes.
What shoes would you recommend?
Norma Desmond 17 years ago
His thrift is our gain. These cheap shoes prove it.
Hardly. His inability to think a purchase through bodes ill. He will be forced to replace these cheap shoes four our five times in the time it would take him to wear out a good pair of shoes that cost perhaps twice or three times as much, c.f. the mention elsewhere in this blog of the shoes Tony Blair has been wearing for 18 years.
As for Mr. Galt, Randroids have never been known for their sense of humor. Indeed, it’s nearly impossible for them to have one, since, if they did, their idol’s prose would reduce them to helpless prisoners of uncontrollable laughter.
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
I suppose I can address at least two people at once. Some “Randroids” have a sense of humor. Myself included. But since Genevieve pointed out that this isn’t a blog about politics, I suppose I don’t have to ask permission to still come here and find it funny, and be able to produce sometimes equally witty remarks. And I suppose I don’t have to mention that labeling people “Randroids” is equally as bad as saying other people’s votes are wrong simply because they found a SHOE BLOG funny. (Also, Galt has no u.) And lastly, this John Galt character clearly has no understanding of Ayn Rand at all or he would never comment negatively on people’s rights to vote.
Done.
Aaron 17 years ago
Dr. Paul’s shoes have been noted in in-depth interviews from the halls of Congress before. To some of us it reflects his ‘everyman’ ‘Mr. Smith’ persona.
Coming from a rural community I sympathize with Dr. Paul’s choice of footwear. As an engineer I try to find a show that looks ‘fancy’ yet still has some of my identity (humble and cheap?).
I think Dr. Paul could use some friendly fashion advice from the good folks at shoeblogs!
Good article :)
R. Harmon 17 years ago
Well, if you are a diligent person working out of those large sprawling federal buildings, wearing good shoes is simply being practical and common-sensical.
But, by all means, let’s decide our next president based on the whiteness of their teeth, how well coiffed their hair, how dramatic their theatrics and how expensive their suits.
fashionista 17 years ago
Gag me with a spoon! like maybe the old dude has knee problems and like, needs to wear supportive shoes like totaalyyyy, but I dunno like whateevvvver! but seriously, I mean super seriouslyy, barf-a-rama hehe later cuties
Jake 17 years ago
Those shoes are cool. I want a pair.
Dave 17 years ago
I think the funny thing here is that none of you probably get John’s screenname… Haha… Read an actual book sometimes, you guys!
As for the shoes, I doubt those are how he normally dresses. If this picture was taken at Capitol Hill, he was probably running around in those solely for comfort. Really, would you expect a nurse, a waitress, or anyone who’s job has then standing for hours on end to run around all day in something uncomfortable? Who knows, maybe he only wears those in his office and when he went to this meeting, oops, he forgot to take them off. It happens.
And Genevieve, I think it a takes a more arrogant, judgmental person to scoff at the clothes people wear from some lofty perch of a self-appointed sense of high fashion than to just give people the benefit of the doubt. You, ma’am, are a hypocrite. ;)
Will 17 years ago
I don’t really mind about how everyone thinks it’s a crime for this man to dress cheap. At least he’s not using tax payer’s money to get a $400 hair cut and the like. This man’s choice seems to project a humbleness.
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
I would have to agree in that being on one’s feet all day is torture. I don’t wear cute shoes to work because they tear my feet apart. Though Paul’s are still little more than a sneaker. Eh…
visaman27 17 years ago
OK. I’m a Ron Paul supporter………….The man probably could dress a little better……….but, what I like about the tennis shoes is the statement they make…………They say,” I’m a man that change world while wearing a simple pair of tennis shoes and some random slacks”……………No, seriously, the man just don’t care so much about his shoes and slacks…………It’s part of his humble image……….Why don’t you call him and offer up some dress tips that while still allowing him to stay humble would still allow him to upgrade at the wardrobe………Let’s poke fun at it and then clean it up……………..
WillArm 17 years ago
I am a Ron Paul supporter and I think it’s a travesty that someone let him walk out of the door with those kicks on. Fortunately, I don’t think this is a Howard Dean “BYAH!!!”. Thrifty or not, those shoes look horrendous and I think they’re only effective if he’s pandering to the homeless demographic. Nevertheless, his politics are great.
DCgal85 17 years ago
I hate to say this… but he dresses like every other nerdy Hill guy in DC…
Norma Desmond 17 years ago
La Petite Chou, you are absolutely right, and I was absolutely wrong. I’ve been subject to the semi-harassment of Rand devotees of Mr. Galt’s humorless ilk (um, Dave, I’d bet most of us know precisely what the nom de plume refers to, actually), in other online venues, and I allowed that to cloud my judgment. I stand corrected, and I apologize.
I don’t think anyone’s seriously proposing that one’s vote should be affected by our dear Manolo’s harmless jest, although I do stand by the point, to which we can all testify, I believe, that cheap shoes are a false economy.
Norma Desmond 17 years ago
Arrgh, I left out a Chou! Unforgivable.
ushie 17 years ago
Cole-Haan has a line of men’s shoes with Nike technology. And Cole Hann shoes last about a zillion years. I have 3 pairs of Oxfords that just keep going and going and going…
Genevieve 17 years ago
Oh, Dave… you really haven’t read this blog before if you think that the Manolo is an arrogant, judgmental writer. I will freely admit that I am a total hypocrite though. For example, I said that we’re nice here, but I’m not above telling someone where to shove their copy of “Atlas Shrugged” if it comes down to it.
Maybe Ron Paul doesn’t wear those shoes all of the time, maybe he does. The point is, this is a blog about shoes, and Ron Paul, who is in the spotlight at the moment, in a race that has become, like many political races in today’s society, all about image, was caught wearing shoes that were not in fabulous shape. Manolo pointed it out, the end. He is a light writer, a satirist, a humorist. That’s why it says “Fashion, Celebrity and Manolo!” not “Fashion, Celebrity and In-Depth Detailed Political and Economic Analysis.” If you don’t like it, well, life is tough in the big city. Deal or leave us alone to our fun *shoe* blog. You’re “free to choose,” as it were. (oh, no, an econ reference! No!!!!)
Or, to put it more succinctly, lighten up and learn to take a joke. You’ll live longer.
Richard Brodie 17 years ago
Those are ass-kicking shoes! They will come in quite handy when he tangle’s, Andrew Jackson style, not with Biddle and the Second Bank of the United States, but with Bernanke and the Federal Reserve!
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
You can call me la petite chou but since I don’t speak french (sshhh!! don’t tell!), I’m not sure if it makes any sense!
Heh.
Thanks
I just want us all to be friendly, differences aside. :)
Norma Desmond 17 years ago
I just want us all to be friendly, differences aside. :)
Quite so. And is this not ultimately yet another testimony to the utter super-fantasticness of the Manolo, who can unite those of diverse and even opposite viewpoints through the appreciation of the profound and subtle beauty of that great signifier of Style in all its manifold senses, the shoe?
Brent Reynolds 17 years ago
Oh, my God. This blogsite is riduculous, Let’s round up all the idiots that think that appearances are the only indicator of personal values, and send them to Thailand so they can make the damn things for us in a sweat shop. I don’t care if this site’s purpose is to make fashion jokes, fashion is bullshit anyway.
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
Hahaha! Well said!
Norma Desmond 17 years ago
Let’s round up all the idiots that think that appearances are the only indicator of personal values, and send them to Thailand so they can make the damn things for us in a sweat shop.
Brent, my dear, perhaps we should, but I don’t think you’d find many of those people here. It is a humorous site, where people make extravagant, overblown statements about matters of fashion and style for the purpose of amusing themselves and each other. I doubt that we would be amused by what amuses you, either. It’s a lovely big Internet, and there is plenty of room on it for people who enjoy different things than you, wouldn’t you agree?
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
Wow, that Brent comment must have come up while I was typing my response “haha, well said” which was meant for Norma…and most assuredly NOT meant for Brent.
My response to Brent would be: if you feel that way, why did you search for a fashion blog to which to come? If you actually believed what you said, it would be a waste of time for you to bother reading, let alone actually posting, on this site. So put your money where your mouth is.
Norma Desmond 17 years ago
Mlle. Chou Chou, despite our previous disagreement, I was confident that your prior comment was in response to me. Perhaps this is hubris on my part, but I prefer to think it was my perspicacity in understanding your character, not only in terms of what you would approve, but also of what you would not.
la petite chou chou 17 years ago
Yes, you are right.
Unfortunately I have this weird predisposition of needing to ensure everything is represented to the truest it can be, though this may be a fault; I cannot allow anyone to take anything I said out of context and thus had to correct it in case anyone else reading it mistook it. :)
Philly Dave 17 years ago
I’ve seen it all now LOL
Ron wears comfortable shoes (often black leather tennis shoes) both in congress and when traveling ever since his knee replacement surgery.
If style is your deal, Mitt’s prolly’ your guy.
Bush too usually has nice footwear… howz that wurkin’ out?
Uriah 17 years ago
This blog might be in good fun but it prolongs a horrible truth to our society. Externally, judging people is a cheap and lazy way to form an opinion about a person, thus our infatuation with putting our best image forward and to the extreme, anorexia/depression… what ever.
The fact of the matter is our arrogance as a people/country stems from the fact that if you want to survive in Washington, ya gotta look professional. So, we have essentially a government full of people masking their true selves. When people obsess about their image, the amount that they become disconnected with their identity increases.
Remember if you take part in this flim flam you only do so because you’ve been indoctrinated by our society to do so. We are electing a person not an image. When we elect an image, for example say BUSH, we shouldn’t be surprised when that “person with the image” takes part in Bushshit like Iraq, after all we got the person along with the image. —–
A word about the paradox of ‘not caring’ to take care of your image is ultimately, deception.
Desdamona 17 years ago
Ron Paul must wear comfortable sneakers because he is active and working all day on his feet both in Congress and campaigning. His suits don’t fit because he never gets a free lunch by lobbyists and their ilk. If you are so concerned about his wardrobe you could send a contribution to his campaign or perhaps a gift certificate.
16 years ago
Ron Paul isn’t paid off. It’s refreshing to see the common man with a chance of winning the presidency. I mean our first president had horrible dentures. Jefferson had a horrible lisp. Lincoln had a high-pitched squeaky voice. FDR sported a wheel chair. Dr. Paul has bad-ass shoes, HELLL YEA!
Rer 16 years ago
Frivolous US. Discussing the shoes of the best candidate/person.