Edwards, Giuliani Win HDTV Presidential 'Beauty Contest'

Over the years, TV has greatly influenced which presidential candidates get elected and which ones don't. If a candidate doesn't look the part on TV, he rarely gets a second look by the voters.

TV's influence on the U.S. presidential race will likely increase in 2008 when up to 40 percent of the nation is watching the candidates in crystal-clear High-Definition TV. HDTV, which provides a picture up to six times clearer than regular TV, reveals every skin imperfection and aging sign.

Phillip Swann, aka Swanni, and the president of TVPredictions.com, has just ranked the likely 2008 presidential candidates on how they look in high-def. Swanni says the ultra-real HD picture could help some while hurting others. (Swanni's commentaries on how celebrities and TV personalities look better or worse in high-def have been featured in hundreds of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Chicago Tribune.)

Who were the winners of Swanni's 'HDTV Presidential Beauty Contest'?

For the Democrats: Ex-Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina. And for the GOP: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Here's what Swanni had to say about Edwards:

"Edwards looks older in high-def; no one would mistake him for (John) Kerry's son instead of his running mate. But this could be a plus for the youthful-looking Edwards who has been accused of lacking gravitas. However, in high-def, the North Carolina Democrat's face is still smooth and largely unlined and his blue eyes sparkle in high-def. HDTV should be a big advantage for him," Swanni says.

The HDTV guru says "Giuliani is a rare individual who looks almost the same in high-def as he does in analog; not better or worse. He's no beauty but he's very authentic looking, particularly since he abandoned the comb over.

Sen. Hillary Clinton finished second among Democrats in Swanni's HDTV rankings while Sen. George Allen of Virginia was second among the Republicans.

Swanni, however, was less kind to Mark Warner, former Democratic governor of Virginia. The HD expert said Warner has acne scars on his cheeks which are dramatically visible in high-def.

To see more of Swanni's HDTV Presidential 'Beauty Contest,' which includes comments on Sens. Joe Biden, John McCain and John Kerry, click Here.