Abraham Lincoln was the first U.S. president to sport a beard. For the next 50 years,

whiskers were commonplace in the White House, but then they went out of style. Now,

Vice President J.D. Vance is the first executive branch leader in more than a century with a furry

face, and others are following suit. From the Senate to the campaign trail, more and more men in

politics are letting their facial hair grow free. But what does that tell us about masculinity,

power, and how we see each other? We heard from some of you. Hello. I wear a beard because I have a really weak chin,

and my wife says she'll divorce me if I ever remove my beard.

I did it once, and she was mad.

So for now on, I have to keep a beard for my wife's sake.

I would say that my facial hair definitely has become part of my identity.

I feel like I have a baby face.

And having facial hair, whether it's a mustache or beard,

that has been something that has made me feel more like an adult,

even though I feel like a kid inside.

During my mid-20s, my girlfriend implored me not to grow a beard.

As a generous partner, I happily acceded to her wishes.

I was quite devastated when that relationship ended, and to both soothe my pain and

claim my independence, I grew a beard. I'm happy to report that 47 years later, that beard

continues to grace my chin. Thanks for those messages. After the break, we look to history for some

answers. Why did our politicians remain barefaced for so long?

And why the reemergence of whiskers in the White House now? You're listening to the 1A podcast. I'm Jen White. Stay with us. We've got a lot to get to.

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