Politics on the spot
My real job is being a newspaper reporter, so I have to keep my political opinions out of the public sphere. Therefore, don’t construe any of the following as being in favor or one side or the other.
This is Word Badger’s Political Edition, in which I take a look at some of the words flying through political airspace in recent days. As political junkie and fellow GazetteXtra blogger John Eyster says, here we go:
-- The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign complains all the time about the political process. That’s its job. Its latest complaint is about the massive influx of campaign cash into the Badger State. Someone at the WDC had a great title for the news release: “Check Republic.” Newspaper headline writers should feel envious.
-- Blaberals and Rethuglicans. Those were two slams from online commenters on Gazette stories recently. As a political junkie, I appreciate the creativity. As citizen, I wonder whether the name-calling is a symptom of a chronic illness in our political process. What do you think?
-- Money bomb. This is a fundraising device used all across the political spectrum. The fundraisers set a date by which they want to reach a certain fund-raising goal and say they want to expend this "money bomb" to defeat the other side. I recently saw one of these email solicitations bemoaning the fact that the other side’s money bomb was bigger than its own.
Again, is the reference to mass violence just verbal creativity, or is it the tip of a nasty political iceberg?
-- Walker spot. I heard this one from a local Democrat who was referring to the round, hairless spot at the back of his head, something that also plagues Word Badger and so many other 40- and 50- and 60-something men. As in, “My Walker spot is growing, AND I DON’T LIKE IT.”
Gov. Walker, of course, has quite the Walker spot, which in public is camouflaged by a comb-over, so you don’t notice it from frontal TV angles. But to be fair, Walker’s spot, as far as I can tell, is nothing compared with the shiny dome of our last governor, Democrat Jim Doyle.
I wonder if “Walker spot” will catch on.
Feel free to comment on any choice political language that has caught your fancy. But as usual, keep it civil, and keep it clean, but most of all, keep it funny, if at all possible.
Feb 24, 2012 at 6:51 a.m.
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And there's the catch phrase 'crossing the line' flying around, refering to the senators that crossed the state line. Thanks, Frank, for the small island of humor in these highly polarized times.
Feb 23, 2012 at 5:09 p.m.
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tthompson: a good general leads from the rear ;)
Feb 23, 2012 at 3:10 p.m.
Feb 23, 2012 at 1:39 p.m.
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Nice Blog Frank. Please let any of the haters know that when I approached Kyle Geissler about writing Peace & Glove I was told 'we can't have enough commnunity bloggers'. See if any of them want to unmask themselves and try to do what you do. It amazes me how many people STILL don't know the difference between a news/sports article and a blog post, and then have the lack of intelligence enough to blast you for it.
On a side note...I would have thought the 'walker spot' was way lower on the human body and not so much a spot as a....
Feb 23, 2012 at 1:23 p.m.
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"Gazette-O-Phobia:" The irrational fear that The Gazette's news and opinion sections are encoded with bias that lies on either the far right or far left sides of the political spectrum. The amplitude and degree of this perceived bias, of course, varies dependiding on a person's particular mood, argument, conspiracy theory or delusion of the day.
Feb 23, 2012 at 1:20 p.m.
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Very tempted to temporarily rename this blog: Freaky Frank: The Reporter from Hell.
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Thing is, this is a blog, not an article, and I am not acting as a news reporter here; I'm throwing out thoughts and allowing people to have their say, too. Democracy can be an ugly process.
Feb 23, 2012 at 12:24 p.m.
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Nicely done Frank! How about "foot in mouth syndrome" otherwise known as Joe Biden disease?
Feb 23, 2012 at 9:16 a.m.
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I guess that some people
just do not have
a sense of humor.
"Let Me Hold You Little Man
As the parade passes by
Let Me Hold You Little man
We'll make believe you can fly".
Feb 23, 2012 at 8:34 a.m.
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Again, the above blog is about language.
In particular, how the language of political extremism reveals that extremists are manifesting something more about their personal psychologies than they are manifesting anything about a true comprehension of our political situation.
Feb 23, 2012 at 8:06 a.m.
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I'm not amused by your article and don't tell me to go away. Here's some more words 'flying around' for your next dumb report: The Shabby Schultz Beard; Freaky Frank; The Reporter from Hell; feel free to use them if you wish.
Feb 22, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.
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Just tryin' to be entertaining, folks. I deal with important stuff all day long. I need a break, and this blog is it. I'm open to criticism, but if you're not amused, go somewhere else. There are plenty of places to go.
--The Badger
Feb 22, 2012 at 4:16 p.m.
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Typo - Significance
Feb 22, 2012 at 4:14 p.m.
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The Walker spot is bound to draw many Bush- league comments from both Republicants and many Democans. Either way, it is of little significance or consequence when compared to the problems perplexing our state's residents. Do you, like me, often question the significnce of your own blog responses? But then, if I'm not complaining I'm probably dead.
Feb 22, 2012 at 3:57 p.m.
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What's with the hostility toward Frank Schultz? He's sparing us his politics (which I appreciate because I don't like anyone's politics, including my own) and he's delving, once again, into the vitality of language.
Appreciate it.
Feb 22, 2012 at 10:59 a.m.
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With a head that size it's more like a landing strip.
Feb 22, 2012 at 4:11 a.m.
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As my wife would say, "It's not a Walker spot honey, it's a Walker AREA!"
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:20 a.m.
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I actually have a funny one:
" Going to McDonalds for a salad is like going to a hooker for a hug!"
Got that from a family member via Email the other day and still can't stop laughing!!
Feb 21, 2012 at 11:37 p.m.
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justBnice, seriously? union thugs have taken over this right wing rag? If this piece of trash isn't right wing enough for you, maybe you should drink more koolaid..........
Feb 21, 2012 at 9:35 p.m.
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yet all of you parrots take time to read and comment!! Hilarious!!
Feb 21, 2012 at 9:34 p.m.
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8:02, 8:05, 8:08, 8:10.... All with the same comment- someONE has too much time on their hands to create multiple accounts. The most foolish thing here is that ONE isn't going anywhere. AnyONE who takes the time comment four times has too much invested.
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I haven't hit 30 yet, but my walker spot is growing.
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Political hyperbole is too harsh and discredits the cause of whoever uses it to bolster their points.
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My favorite is the use "derangement syndrome". My favorite conservative radio hosts use the phrase Bush Derangement Syndrome quite frequently to disparage any criticism of our fmr president. Likewise, and for the same purpose, my favorite liberal hosts refer to Obama Derangement. *sigh*
Feb 21, 2012 at 8:10 p.m.
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I rather read this persons blogs than Eyster's. Eyster is the one that needs to go.
Feb 21, 2012 at 8:10 p.m.
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This is absurd. I'm guessing the union thugs took over the gazette. I wonder if they even put up a fight.
Feb 21, 2012 at 8:08 p.m.
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The Gazette has finally gone bananas - good bye and good riddance.
Feb 21, 2012 at 8:05 p.m.
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Oh my - This is by far the stupidest thing I have ever read. Excuse me while I go puke.
Feb 21, 2012 at 8:02 p.m.
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What a ridiculous article. Gazette editors: do something about this guy!
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