The Name Calling Politics Continue
American Politics at it’s best or American Politicians at their worst?
Senator Santorum’s recent campaign ads refer to his challenger, Bob Casey, as “Bobby Casey Junior” in an obvious attempt to diminish Casey’s image by latently suggesting he’s young, immature or both.
It may seem minor at first glance, but there’s a piercing subtext to the usage of “Bobby” along with the Junior suffix together rather than Robert or even just Bob as Casey is best known among Pennsylvania residents. Senator Santorum is a seasoned politician embedded in the fight of his life against Casey right now for a Senate seat in Pennsylvania; and this is a conspicuous cheap trick to try and make himself somehow appear superior by framing his opponent as inferior.
Don’t get me wrong, I certainly prefer the Senator call his opponent Bobby rather than “a thug” as he earlier has, and in fairness to the Senator he apparently believed that Casey had sent operatives to snoop around his house after questions had been raised as to whether or not the Santorum family was actually living in Pennsylvania or Virginia when the “thug” label was cast.
Still, I would prefer it even more–and feel less embarrassed as an American–if I could just believe that the leaders of our nation–those select few who are honored with the privilege and task of serving in Congress, the Senate and the White House–were above such petty schoolyard and blogosphere behaviors.
As a resident of Pennsylvania I’ve been completely unenthusiastic and absolutely torn in this election race. To date it’s been about as interesting as watching paint dry. Despite the separate party affiliations I haven’t been able to find any noticeable difference between Senator Santorum and challenger Bob Casey in ideologies on most of the important issues to me, and I refuse to vote based on party alone. That’s left me riding the fence as to who I’d be supporting in November. Possibly even leaning slightly towards Senator Santorum simply because with all else being equally dismal, he at-least has some established pull in Washington which may be of benefit to our state.
These recent ads have swung me though. Obviously the Senator secretly harbors a desire to join the ranks of bloggers where not-so-witty name-plays are acceptable behavior. With no other real issue to inspire my vote in this election, a vote against continued ugly politicking seems worthy.
So I thank you Senator, you’ve finally given this race interest and purpose for me.
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About Scott Bannon
A conservative liberal with a perspicuous perspective on American politics.
Scott's writings have been published on dozens of news and opinion outlets both online and off.
6 Responses to “The Name Calling Politics Continue”
By Michael Bridge | Reply to article
You are embarrassed to be an American because Santorum refers to Bob Casey Jr. as Bobby? What is your feeling everytime a liberal refers to Bush or Chaney as Hitler?
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By Scott Bannon | Reply to article
No, Mike, it embarrasses me that any of our highest officials would resort to acting like ill-mannered children strictly to demean their opponents in the pseudo-popularity contests known as election races.
Are you comfortable being represented to the world by such immature behaviors? I certainly am not.
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By Michael Bridge | Reply to article
I am not comfortable being representing to the world by a media that seems to blame America for everything. I am not comfortable being represented to the world by a media who would reveal our wartime strategies to our enemies. I am not comfortable being represented to the world by polititians and a media who are trying to cost us the war in the same way they did the Vietnam War, by making us to be the villains.
I am embarrassed by much of what I see; but Bobby Casey Jr. is hardly an example of the kind of thing that embarrasses me. Which gets to the point of the question that I asked you… are you comfortable with politicians in this country calling Bush and Cheney Hitler simply for their own political gain? I think it is reprehensible on so many levels.
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By Scott Bannon | Reply to article
Mike, I didn’t think a literal answer to that question was expected, but of-course I wouldn’t be comfortable with an elected American politician calling President Bush or VP Cheney Hitler. Now, care to expand by pointing out which of our elected leaders did that?
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By Anonymous | Reply to article
You have to check out this article about Santorum and Bob Casey’s first decate. A must read– http://pennsylvaniapolitics.blogspot.com/
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By Joe Orbovich | Reply to article
Rick Santorum is a child. Dick Cheney is a criminal, and George W. Bush is a Political Puppet.
Can Rick Santorum be defended for exploiting his children by using them in his commercial?
Can Dick Cheney be forgiven by the victims of Katrina for the great job that “Halliburton” did by providing transportation to the victims (3)days after the fact?
Poor George W. Bush… He is the aftermath of a storm that he never saw coming…
HAIL NEO-CONS!
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