Florida study: Sarah Palin hurt by a focus on her looks
Vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin/Associated Press
Last fall, two University of South Florida psychologists subjected 133 undergraduates to a grueling test, requiring them to stare at photos of both Angelina Jolie and Sarah Palin.
In each case, the more attention the students paid to the women’s appearance, the less competent they judged the pair to be. And in Palin’s case, the less likely they were to vote for her.
Here’s the kicker: In Palin’s case, her looks only affected Republicans and independents. Not Democrats.
And gender made no difference.
An article on the study has just been published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. It’s hidden behind an Internet pay screen, and we’re cheap, so we haven’t seen it.
But it was a worth a phone call with Jamie Goldenberg, an associate professor over at USF who co-authored the article with Nathan Heflick.
The two researchers had theorized a correlation between looks and competence.
“We were shocked that we got any movement on the voting,” Goldenberg said Thursday. “It didn’t affect Democrats. They were all going to vote for Obama no matter what. It was only Republicans and independents who were moved.”
Basically, the students were asked to write about each woman — whether about her accomplishments as a person, or about her looks.
“What we found is that in both cases, whether they wrote about Palin or Angelina Jolie, when they wrote about her appearance rather than the person, they evaluated her to be less competent, less fully human. And in the case of the Palin prime, they were less likely to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket,” Goldenberg said.
The study was done before the October news about GOP expenditures on Palin’s wardrobe, which dampened the vice presidential nominee’s poll numbers.
The Internet buzz on this study has abbreviated the results by declaring sexiness to be a handicap in politics. This isn’t quite the right reading, Goldenberg said.
She’s not denying that attractiveness contributed. “Presumably that played a role,” the professor said. What the study actually found was that the more attention paid to a subject’s appearance, the less competent she was judged. In other words, ugliness could be just as diverting.
“We haven’t controlled for all the variables. It could be if someone is super competent it wouldn’t have the same effect. But what we found is that it was the act of focusing on the appearance,” she said.
So the lesson isn’t for Palin to acquire a certain frumpiness before the 2012 presidential campaign — but to establish bona fides that outshine it.
“You don’t want to do things to draw attention to your appearance above and beyond your person — who you are. You don’t want to be reduced to an object,” Goldenberg said.
Now, as to the matter of whether the Palin effect might apply to men, Goldenberg said she wasn’t sure.
“But the fact is that women are more often targeted for objectification. So the phenomenon should apply to women more. Even if you focus on a man’s appearance, it may be done in a different way,” she said.
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42 comments Add your comment
Question for the Jimster
March 5th, 2009
4:37 pm
The Dow drops another 281 points meaning that Americans have lost $3.5 trillion in their investments since Obama’s coronation–and we get a story on Sarah Palin’s looks.
Is the American Idol crowd your key (only) demographic?
Chuck
March 5th, 2009
5:10 pm
Talking about the Dow Jones doesn’t serve the White House talking points.
Jim H
March 5th, 2009
5:10 pm
Palin wasn’t hurt by her looks. She was hurt by her ignorance and 18th century views on life. Most Georgia conservatives are too blind to see, but Sarah Palin single handily won the election for Obama.
Question for the Jimster Question for the Jimster
March 5th, 2009
5:12 pm
Ummmm, wasn’t the DOW dropping before his “Coronation”???
Red Foreman
March 5th, 2009
5:12 pm
God what a bunch of homo libtards…She’s the hottest politician of our time…I guess thats why they vote in those old nags like Pelosi and Clinton…
Ted Nugent 2012!!!!!!!!!!
Often Disappointed Never Surprised
March 5th, 2009
5:16 pm
How dare anyone say that the Democrats were going to vote for Obama regardless of the issues or the candidate’s competence. This is an insult. In fact, if you were a Republican and voted for Mccain, then you stuck with the party-line. How could anyone who listened to the debates/issues, or researched the character or lack thereof of the candidates and still vote for Mccain/Palin. This is no different than the Republicans who are against any idea that a Democrat has, whether it is good or not. These parties have separated us far too long. Examine the facts, the candidates, and their character then vote!
Skram30082
March 5th, 2009
5:22 pm
Red Foreman…you make no sense at all. The study showed that Democrats were not affected by her looks…only Repubs and independents. So Repubs brought her down, not “homo libtards”.
And just on the chance that Palin was a Democrat and Obama picked her for his running mate, Repubs would’ve buried her under the bus. And you know that’s true.
That passes what I call the “shoe on the other foot test”, which means that all of the criticism that she got was justified.
Brent
March 5th, 2009
5:33 pm
Palin will be around in 2012. Let’s talk about her then.
Fred
March 5th, 2009
5:47 pm
Misdirect, marginalize and divide… straight out of Alinsky’s Rules For Radicals. For Obama, the campaign goes on.
Old Dawg
March 5th, 2009
5:50 pm
I’m sure the survey was conducted on a completely scientific basis, but Palin’s interviews and Tina Fey’s performance probably slipped in and made a difference. As for the DOW reacting to the Obama Administration’s activities, the indexes were dropping before the election and have continued since.
In fact, to listen to the responses of folks on the floor, they’re expecting things to break-out before pushing the action in a positive manner. Quite frankly, their gold rush mentality is a major part of the financial market’s problems and it won’t get rectified until they take a more pragmatic, or long term, approach.
Rick
March 5th, 2009
5:51 pm
often disappointed…..you say look at the issues and the character of the candidate? Lets see.. he is a ex druggie, a smoker, he is as corrupt as any politician to ever come out of Chicago. He is an ADMITTED socialist, He is liar. (How about the campaign promise to post any bill for 5 days before he signed it. Opps pork bills don’t count.) There is not one single person in this country who is entitled to a penny of someones else s money. You can give to anything you like. You should never have money taken from one persons and given to another. He is playing class warfare and the losers are sucking it up. When I have to pay the taxes I do and and then told that I am fortunate? Hell no! I worked my butt off. I am not lucky. I was born into a poor family and swore my children would not live like I did, and they do not. I am sick of everybody trying to make their problems my problems.
Rick
March 5th, 2009
5:56 pm
Also …there is not a nickles worth of difference between obama, bush, mc,cain. They are career politicians who exist to fill their pockets and increase their power. There is no such thing as person in Washington who is concerned for the future of this country. It is crumbling fast and I fear it will never be what the founding fathers intended. To sit bact and say the GOP is better than the libs is crazy. The difference between the dems and repub is like the difference syphilis and gonorrhea.
SickoftheTyranny
March 5th, 2009
6:05 pm
Perhaps if Palin were to spend more time in books and less on her looks, she might have been taken seriously. The fact is that the woman is as ignorant as the day is long and that’s why she did not help McCain in his bid for the presidency.
Sunshine
March 5th, 2009
6:08 pm
Well, Often Disappointed and Jim H, one day you WILL grow up (I think) and see the light. You boys don’t really understand life just yet. As for 18th century ways, that is THE only way. I am assuming you mean on issues such as Abortion and Homosexuality! Be thankful your parents weren’t pro Abortion. As for Homosexuality, you are sadly lost my friend. At any rate, enjoy your new socialistic state because in 4 years, it will return to a sane capitalistic society.
Peggy
March 5th, 2009
6:10 pm
I am an Independant. I can honestly say that I want my elected officials to be smarter than myself. Along with Palin’s 18 century views, the fact that it took 6yrs at 5 different schools to get a journalism degree bothered me. We just spent 8yrs with C-average student in the White house, we didn’t need another one. Lets face it, it was the Bush last name that got him into Yale, not his grades. I just think it’s time to get back to some basic intelligence at the top.
You can say what you want about the Obamas, but they are the American dream. You have 2 people who come from nothing & they manage to obtain 2 Ivy League degrees apiece. Their last name was not Cosby. They didn’t sing or dance to get to Harvard.
Question for the Jimster
March 5th, 2009
6:39 pm
The DJIA was 9,625 on election day and dropped 98 points the next day. Then, the Dow fell to 7,949 (after dropping 332 for the day) on Obama’s coronation day and closed at 6,594 today (down 281 points).
The stock market is forward-looking and has pronounced judgment on Obama’s policies of extreme tax and extreme spend. When you folks who voted for him are not able to retire–ever–you should look in the mirror and thank yourselves. While you’re at it, tell your children and grandchildren that you placed them in indebtedness before they ever had a chance to get off the ground.
Then, tell them that you hated George Bush more than you loved liberty and free enterprise–and that it was all for their own good.
Now Really, Peggy
March 5th, 2009
6:55 pm
“I can honestly say that I want my elected officials to be smarter than myself.”
Peggy, you won’t have a problem in that regard.
http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2007/07/self-improvement.html
No doubt Bush’s name helped get him in Yale–but his grades earned the degree.
Obama was admitted to Harvard because he is an Africanized American. He was even given a book deal to write about “diversity” but later changed it to a memoir–another exercise in narcissism. He was editor of the law school review but, strangely for an editor, never published anything.
Bush’s grades, etc. are an attempt at distracting attention from Obama’s failed economic policies–including the government takeover of our financial institutions, automobile manufacturing concerns, and health care (for starters). In addition, his followers cringe when reminded of Obama’s missteps in selecting multiple individuals for cabinet positions who chose not to pay income taxes. His upcoming missteps in foreign policy (no defensive missile deployment in Poland, capitulation to Iran where Israel = the Sudetenland) will become known shortly–if we are not “treated” to a terrorist attack. Remember, Obama no longer uses the word terrorist, is closing Guantanamo, wanted the prosecution against the murderers in the U.S.S. Cole to cease, and wants Syria to be our friend. He may get what he asks for.
Bill
March 5th, 2009
7:12 pm
To Question for Jimster..You are right about the DOW.It stared dropping in 2007 when the democrats took over the congress.
And if the truth were told,there were many,many of Barack Hussien Obama’s voters that did not know that Palin WAS NOT Obama’s VP.The media got Obama elected.He was portrayed as the Messiah bringing us CHANGE!!EVERYTHING PRINTED ABOUT BARACK HUSSIEN WAS ALWAYS SLANTED TO MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD..Anything about McCain or Pakin was always bad.and in Palin’s case,the media did it’s best to convince the lesser educated voters that the look alike ,Tina Fey from a comedy show was really what Palin was like!!
Then of course there was the old Chicago Political mantra”VOTE EARLY and VOTE OFTEN”.
Which is what Obama;s favorite organization “ACORN” was doing.There is validated evidence of the same homeless person being registered as many as 70 times,Or the block of 5000 votes brought in by ACORN that were tossed after the first 2000 turned out to be illegal or invalid,all because of ACORN trying to stuff the ballot box…But no one wants to dwell on this trivia!! The poor,the black,the democratic voters got what they wanted…….TAKE FROM THOSE THAT WORKED HARD AND EARNED THEIR REWARDS AND GIVE IT THE LOWER LEVEL TRASH THAT WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING!!!! Thank You…..I will go take my meds now……
Bobo
March 5th, 2009
7:15 pm
Fear not Peggy – most people are. Even a Sociology and African American Studies major. You are correct though, singing and dancing didn’t get them into Ivy League schools. We all know what did. I wish the Obama’s well somewhere other than in a position where they can pillage the nation. They are making this county a nationwide Detroit. Change I don’t believe in. Wake up America!
Will
March 5th, 2009
7:21 pm
The bottom line is that Sarah Palin has “no portfolio”. There is no defining issue that I can associate with her. If you consider the other Republicans and Democrats—whether you agree with their political views or not—you can identify at least one important issue or arena in which they stand. I suspect that in a few years with a little study and work that she could have an “identifiable portfolio of issues”…but not now. She kinda reminds me of those spokesmodels that we used to see on that 1980’s TV program Starsearch. She’s attractive, gives a decent speach…but there’s not much there …yet. Lastly, her other problem is that she is from Alaska. Alaska has less than 700,000 people! It’s great for fishing but other than that its the nation’s geographic attic and she sure doesn’t have any experience dealing with urban related isues like most of the other governors whether with the GOP or the Dems.
Will Jones - Atlanta
March 5th, 2009
7:45 pm
A glance at Palin and her father, and their family, show them to be inbred whitetrash. She, like Mafia-connected princess Pelosi who wouldn’t impeach Bush though she was, no doubt, one of hundreds on Capitol Hill during the 9/11 evacuation who witnessed the jumbo jet’s “lumbering turn directly over the Capitol” just as the shockwave of the explosion at the Pentagon arrived, is a testament to just how far a woman can go in this corrupt political environment if she agrees with Rome and the Rockefellers, and has an “ample endowment.”
Michael
March 5th, 2009
7:56 pm
Millions and millions LOVE LOVE LOVE Sarah….she is the ONLY hope for America. She is our bright and shining star beaming down on the USA from the north. I just can’t wait till she gets in the white house and shows everyone just how a country should be run and how wrong it was for THAT ONE to be there.
GO SARAH/LIMBAUGH 2012!
WE LOVE YOU SARAH!
Visit teamsarah.org for the REAL truth.
Cam
March 5th, 2009
8:06 pm
Peggy,
No worries, Sarah Palin is much smarter than you. That goes for the other foot-soldiers reciting the “18th century” line (good lord, at least PRETEND you guys aren’t mind-numbed bots carrying the water for the cause). Any retorts can be taken up with those of you who are also governors.
Sunshine
March 5th, 2009
8:14 pm
Will, what ONE important issue does this regime ‘Stand for’. Socialism, spread the wealth, socialistic medicine, tax us to death so they can spend, spend, spend. Do ya really love that Dude. Actually, History has proven time and time again that governors make the better presidents. I can’t, for the life of me, find where Obama ever governed anything. Would you help me with this? Palin’s folks didn’t buy the governorship for her in Alaska and tell me just how do you know there isn’t much there. Your head in the sand????
Sunshine
March 5th, 2009
8:19 pm
To Sick of the Tyranny. Do you have dainbrammage?? you must have.
If Ignorance is bliss, then you are totally blissful.
nana
March 5th, 2009
8:27 pm
With all that is going on in Washington on both sides of the aisle, the president and his cabinet, the jokers in Congress and an article is written about Palin? What a lame article. Let’s focus on what’s important and that’s not what Palin looks like or what Limbaugh is saying.
Red Foreman
March 5th, 2009
8:35 pm
“Skram30082
March 5th, 2009
5:22 pm
Red Foreman…you make no sense at all. The study showed that Democrats were not affected by her looks…only Repubs and independents. So Repubs brought her down, not “homo libtards”.
And just on the chance that Palin was a Democrat and Obama picked her for his running mate, Repubs would’ve buried her under the bus. And you know that’s true.
That passes what I call the “shoe on the other foot test”, which means that all of the criticism that she got was justified.”
Hook, line and sinker…you tards are SO easy…Ted Nugent 2012
Will Jones - Atlanta
March 5th, 2009
8:49 pm
“Sunshine” – I would say the single most important issue for me, an Army Veteran who twice placed my life at sacrifice for the American People, under holy Oath to the Constitution, alone, is restoration of Our Constitution’s integrity, long defiled by the Bushes and the Rockefeller/Roman Anti-Christ Fifth Column for whom they have fronted for five generations…since they helped built Roman Catholic Big Oil on unredressed murder and arson in 1870’s Cleveland.
Obama’s election tells me G-d has yet to give up on America. His experience “singing the Song of America,” which he does so well, and as a professor of Constitutional Law, is all we need to overcome the evil so obviously upon us. Annuit Coeptis.
Our father’s G-d to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom’s holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great G-d our King.
The “bailout,” welfare fascism for the Wall Street money-manipulating thieves and fascist plutocracy, was put to both candidates before the election. Had one demurred, as JFK did when he took the Vatican-banker-backed unconstitutional Federal Reserve Bank off our money supply by issuing Exec. Order 11,110, his fate would have been the same and the other made president.
Obama, and eighty percent of the People, knows what’s going on. My sense is that he is literally annointed by G-d. Though I wish his grammar were better, his grace and humility shine through.
The spiraling concentration of wealth by a smaller and smaller false elite, since the Robber Barons gained economic hegemony following Rome’s political and military success with the Civil War, must be remedied.
Read Thomas Jefferson if you actually want to clear the confusion. He is a Prophet of G-d anointed to Found and Author the United States of America: the Land of Promise, in Covenant, that, thankfully, is yet intact.
Those who can’t see fit to understand, or look to gain an understanding of, what I’m telling you are not Americans worthy of the name.
E Pluribus Unum: those who can’t stand being part of The People need to get out of Our Country before an outraged citizenry gets the tar and the feathers, and for some, rope.
It is no mystery that those so taken with whitetrash Palin and pederast Limbaugh are also racists, fascists, philistines, and papists. Each a trait impossible to possess as a creed-obeying American.
Death for Treason
Appearance May Have Hurt Sarah Palin | TaylorMarsh.com
March 5th, 2009
9:27 pm
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/03/05/florida-study-sarah-palin-hurt-by-a-f…I work with the team that produced this research. It’s good stuff. [...]
nana
March 5th, 2009
9:51 pm
Will Jones, huh?
Spread the Wealth You Dopes
March 5th, 2009
9:51 pm
Why does Obama need to use a teleprompter simply to introduce his HHS Secretary nominee? The nominee who spoke immediately after him didn’t require one. Isn’t Obama supposed to be person of intellectual heft?
Sam
March 5th, 2009
9:57 pm
As I remember, things were pretty good when Nancy Pelosi became Speaker, and became Joanne the Baptist, making way for the Obamessiah. I’ve been following USA politics for decades, and it appears to me that the House of Representatives and its Speaker are the most powerful component of our national government.
The have been many Speakers who kicked the President areound like a soccer ball. Do some research on “Uncle Joe Cannon, the Tyrant from Illinois”.
Frederick Douglass
March 5th, 2009
11:12 pm
Stevie Wonder can see why Obama is villified, and ultimately demonized by so many on the right, its commonly referred to as bigotry. The man
is about as much a socialist as my “Aunt Fannie”, he’s simply having
to deal with a crisis of unprecedented proportions. As for the stock
market, how in heck is it going to remain rosy with companies shedding jobs by the thousands hourly, and the crisis is global. My question to
you detractors, is Obama affecting the entire world’s economies, because
they’re all hurting aren’t they? I’ll say this to remain relevant to the
thread, Sarah Palin’s dumb as a fern.
kendall meeks
March 5th, 2009
11:14 pm
hey believed me i am very strong Democrat but there is nothin wrong with Gov. Palin looks she is a beautiful lady
L. Adams
March 5th, 2009
11:33 pm
I am a political independent… However, I have to respond to some of the garbage posted on this blog.
“Bush’s grades, etc. are an attempt at distracting attention from Obama’s failed economic policies–including the government takeover of our financial institutions, automobile manufacturing concerns, and health care (for starters).”
OK – so Obama has been in office for what – under 60 days and all of the US problems are his fault? Government takeover of financial institutions? This is what Obama is doing? If so, what did Bush do? Are you better off now than 8 years ago?
And automobile manufacturing… This is also Obama’s fault?
Can’t you think of anything better than the false garbage you type here?
Now, about Sarah Palin… Yes the woman has a pretty face. But let’s face it, Sarah Palin was not ready for prime time. I am surprised that anyone would defend Sarah Palin as being smart or being ready for prime time. In interview after interview, Sarah Palin was stumped. I mean, come on… Do you really think the woman was the best candidate for Vice President? I personally like John McCain and wanted John McCain to defeat Bush in the primaries of 2000. That being said, I think McCain cheaped himself, his party, and the American people by his selection of Sarah Palin. It seems to me that the choice of Sarah Palin was for her good looks and the notion (or wish) that the Hillary voters would flock to Palin simply because of her gender. Didn’t John McCain know that Hillary voters weren’t shallow enough to support Palin simply because of her gender?
In closing, I find it amazing that people praise Sarah Palin as being the future of the Republican party. If so, it’s a sad time for that party when their future leader is someone that has to literally read her answers from a notebook during a VP debate. If Sarah Palin chooses to return in 2012, I hope that she will at least be more knowledgeable about the issues and able to speak to those issues.
L. Adams
March 5th, 2009
11:35 pm
Yes, the bigotry in many of these comments is very, very clear.
Drew
March 6th, 2009
1:45 am
Obama has never run anything before now, and his scattershot, everything but the kitchen sink (as long as it’s liberal) approach in these first few weeks is good evidence of that. Wall Street isn’t buying in and selling off en masse to stick their money in a mattress somewhere and wait this out. Obama’s never had to make a payroll or balance a budget and there’s no reason to believe he knows anything about economics at all. And his Treasury Secretary is a tax cheat. Sell!
Oh, and Sarah should just stick to being a governor for now. Nothing wrong with that.
Greatest Hits: Mar. 6, 2009 - Whatever Is Right
March 6th, 2009
6:47 am
[...] Did Palin’s looks have a negative impact on her? – Jim Galloway (AJC) [...]
Peggy
March 6th, 2009
10:11 am
To the person who said Obama got into Harvard cause he is African-American……………………..If that makes you feel better thinking that than good for you. Michelle left a 275k job to support her husband as a candidate. I bet you are not qualified to be her assistant. How did Obama become the president of the Harvard review? Oh, that right cause he is black???? I can tell you are the lowest in this country. You blame social programs for minorities acheiving. Obama didn’t just attend 2 Ivy league schools, he GRADUATED from both of them.
Even though people on this board debate policies, I notice no one is commenting on Palin’s education record. Five schools, 6yrs= 1 journalism degree. That is something that is not debatable, it’s FACT! Palin would not have made it through 1 semester at Harvard, Columbia and Princeton. Those are all the schools the Obama’s GRADUATED from in a timely mannor.
Question for the Jimster
March 6th, 2009
4:13 pm
Here’s one for you “L. Adams”:
In order for Obama to pay for his 2010 budget, he would have to tax every single dollar of every household earning $75,000 or more in order to pay for it. That means NO income for those folks–except for the fact that Obama is shoving the debt onto the backs of the next several generations.
Obama represents the biggest takeover of the private sector by government in our lifetime. And yes, Obama (along with the Democrat Congress) is responsible for that.
You should really try to stop blaming Bush for everything. When would you like Obama to be held responsible–let’s see…..never. Is there a single Democrat who takes responsibility for anything?
Peggy, you should take a remedial English grammar course. And a logic course.
Also, if you’ll actually read a little, you’ll find that Michelle My Belle tripled her income at her hospital job immediately after Obama was elected U.S. Senator. Google “quid pro quo” while you’re at it. The hospital received a hefty earmark from Obama after he was installed in office. A sound investment for the hospital but another Obama Chicago-style tawdry move.
And speaking of grades, where are Obama’s grades? Where are his transcripts? If you’ve seen them, post the link. Why does he hide his background at Columbia? While you’re at it, since you’re an expert on Palin’s “education” background, post the links to her transcripts.
Also, should we amend the Constitution to elect presidents by the number and kind of degrees they possess? Does experience matter? You don’t have to answer the last one–I know your answer.
I’m waiting.
Will Jones
March 7th, 2009
8:59 am
The spiraling concentration of wealth in the “private sector” is a de facto product of fascist plutocracy: a corrupt, anti-American pseudo-elite (Jefferson, Our Founder, called it the “pseudo-aristoi”) which has taken hold of government to guarantee their enrichment at the cost of The People, Righteousness and Justice.
Why does one think, though Vatican-banker Rockefeller and the domestic collection plate funds of the Roman Catholic Church funded the rise of Hitler and Nazism through Prescott Bush, neither they nor Bush’s son or grandson have yet to be brought to justice? In retrospect was not John Kennedy correct to order our withdrawal from Vietnam? 58,000 of our best would have lived their lives and 58,000 families would have been spared the tragic loss of a loved one? G-d is not mocked.
The Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court would not have cheated a draft-dodging closet-queen into the White House to commit 9/11 killing 3,000 innocents then and many more thousands of innocents, under Our Flag, in Afghanistan and Iraq while restarting the international heroin trade and protecting the corrupt Saudi “royal family,” the Rockefellers “boys” for over one-hundred years, while profiting themselves and their evil affiliates.
The above anonymous supporters of treason are casting a curse upon themselves, a cancer which shall metastasize in time and free the rest of us from their evil master “Babylon,” soon to be “cast into the Pit” by the American People.
All Spin Zone » GOP Trying to Attract Young Voters = FAIL
August 24th, 2009
10:43 am
[...] ended in the 70’s, a couple decades before the youngest voters in this country were born. The beauty queen thing backfired, according to one study from the University of South Florida, and McCain seemed so out of touch that his past heroics may even have been a liability to anyone [...]