My partner and I have been known to explore or dismiss a restaurant purely based on the font of the signage. And most of the time it works. Really. If it weren’t for this technique, we might never have discovered the Wicked Oyster in Wellfleet, Mass., or Moon and River Cafe in Schenectady, N.Y., or …

Well, might a font be the way to choose a presidential candidate as well? Sam Berlow and Cyrus Highsmith, who work at The Font Bureau Inc. of Boston, believe you are what your typeface is. And if you follow their logic, we’re looking at an Obama-McCain match-up:

Obama’s type is contemporary, fresh, very polished and professional. The serifs are sharp and pointed; clean pen strokes evoke a well-pressed Armani suit. The ever-present rising sun logo has the feeling of a hot new Internet company. His sans serifs conjure up the clean look of Nike or Sony. This typography is young and cool. Clearly not the old standards of years past ….

McCain uses type that is a perfect compromise between a sans and a serif, what type geeks call a “flared sans.” Not quite sans and not quite serif, sort of in between, moderate, not too far in either direction. The strokes have contrast between the thick and thin, creating the feeling that the ends are going to have cute little serifs, but they just flare out a little, not forming actual serifs but wanting to. The military star centered and shadowed is a not-so-subtle touch. And McCain just says “President,” as if to say he’s already been elected. Everything about this logo says you can buy a car from this man. From the perfectly centered star to the perfectly spaced type, the entire design looks like a high-end real estate company. McCain has done something no other candidate has done, he uses all blue, no red - not even a dash.

You wouldn’t ever make such a crucial decision based on such superficial criteria, you say? Okay, how about making your choice based on what type of computer (or computer user) the candidate most resembles. Obama, of course, is the Mac, and Hillary is the PC — or at least their website design reflects those distinct sensibilities.

That’s a ridiculous way to decide, you insist. Well, when all else fails, you must ask yourself: What would Arlo Guthrie do? (Vote for Ron Paul, if you’re curious).