When Al Gore lost the presidency in 2000 he grew a beard. When Bill Richardson lost the Democratic primary he too grew facial hair. So perhaps it would be expected that our own U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu would show up in the Senate today, after losing re-election, with a goatee.

But just for a moment.

Sununu, who is known for his 5 o'clock shadow, apparently showed up with the goatee and then shaved it off, according to ABC News and The Washington Times.

Feel free to discuss the psychological, political, and metaphysical implications of the Sununu shave-off in the comment section below.