What other politician can claim he once posed half-naked on the cover of Men’s Health? Or offered a mixed tape to his fellow countrymen? Political scandals and stereotypical slurs might occupy the majority of politicians’ media exposure, but not these guys. US Congressman Aaron Schock of the 18th Congressional District of Illinois, Labour Member of Parliament for Streatham Chuka Umunna MP, and even the President of the United States aren’t exactly your average political peddlers – just take a look.
Representative Aaron Schock might have skipped the press line a few months back, since aside from his age (he’s the first US rep born in the 1980s), Schock hadn’t seemed extremely noteworthy. The notoriety came when the Illinois Representative bared it all, literally, for Men’s Health this June – showing off his six-pack not to get a date, or a few more votes, but to get America’s attention. He’s all about health – and wants Americans, whichever way they swing, to get in shape and understand that fitness regimes must start at an early age. The 29-year-old has been in politics for a decade but his political appetite hasn’t curbed his attitude for unhealthy habits like many of his neighbors on Capitol Hill. The crusader for “Fit for Summer, Fit for Life” makes a statement through his physique alone: looking good keeps you healthy.
There aren’t many politicians – either in the United States or otherwise – that’ll admit to such an eclectic mix of music like Chuka Umunna. The Parliament for Streatham member and parliamentary private secretary to Ed Miliband revealed to ‘Spectator’ that he’s got a bit of a musical obsession, inherited from his funk and jazz tuning father. Everything from Chaka Khan’s “I Feel For You” to James Brown’s “Funky President” and Tribe Called Quest’s “Find a Way” make his list, putting to bed any assumption that he’s a GQ-model lookalike donning a permanent smile. From his musical list, and public coffee house dates, there’s a lot more to this politician than meets the eye. His unique name doesn’t’ hurt either.
No matter what his approval rating might lead you to believe, President Barack Obama will always be cool in our eyes. The guy is nearly the youngest politician to ever take the reins in the White House, is the first President to get access to a personal cell phone, dabbles in the occasional social media trend, holds Facebook Town Hall meetings and admits to the occasional nicotine addiction. Heck, his first few weeks in the White House were even documented in a parody after MTV’s popular reality hit “The Hills.” Despite your opinion about what the President has done for the country, you’ve got to admit that aside from Hollywood’s former television star and JFK, there are few politicians that have gained quite as much youthful attraction.
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson is “known for telling it like it is,” or so hails his Twitter account. The Michigan politician doesn’t back down from a fight, a trait that has probably helped him retain his post as Oakland County’s executive for nearly two decades. Patterson might be a veteran in the political realm, but that doesn’t mean he can’t run with the young boys – a social media fanatic, Patterson even impresses his youngest of interns: "I wish he was my grandpa. He would be so cool to hang out with. He's charismatic, smart and just fun to be around.” The Oakland County Executive records YouTube videos poking fun at intricacies of politics, and even asks residents to help him decide which 40 local professionals under the age of 40 should be honored for the Elite 40 under 40.
