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And our last governor and current president have made it plain that beardless politicians often have something to hide.

Dislike of politicians with hirsute faces has not always been the norm. In her now famous letter of October 15, 1860 to presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, eleven year old Grace Bedell of Westfield, New York wrote, "I have got 4 brother's and part of them will vote for you any way and if you let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you you would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husband's to vote for you and then you would be President."

Lincoln's famous reply was "As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it now?" But he took Grace's advice and by the time he left Springfield, Illinois for the White House in February 1861 he had a beard.

Governor Paterson can't change the fact that he is black and legally blind. Unfortunately, he can shave his beard off. I read one comment by someone on the internet who said the first thing Paterson should do as governor is shave off his beard. I hope he doesn't do that. And I hope he doesn't listen to any advice from any little girls who might write him a letter telling him he would look better without a beard.

There has been a lot of debate this election season as to whether or not America is ready for a female president or a black president. I think we are. But are we ready for a bearded president? By keeping his beard, and proving himself a capable governor, maybe David Paterson can make way for other members of a much maligned minority-brothers of the brush-to hold high office.

Learn more about this author, Dan Weaver.
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