Don't Call Him Willard...

[Cannot think of a name]

...alright, no one here that I've seen has done it, so this is kind of empty, but I keep seeing this on liberal punditry.

See, Mitt Romney's first name is Willard. But he calls himself Mitt. So a handful of pundits snidly call him Willard. Laurence O'Donnel even explained it, saying he didn't trust people who didn't use their first names.

Seriously? If the fact that he went with Mitt instead of Willard was the worst thing about that guy, I'd fucking volunteer for that guy's campaign. It's not, and I'm not. I don't want that guy anywhere near the White House, but not because he goes by "Mitt" instead of "Willard."

I don't mind punditry at its core. There is value, to a degree, in someone making the argument so to speak. I don't think that it should substitute itself as news, which largely has happened as two ostensibly news channels have lined up pundit after pundit in a programing war that eschews straight news into a feeder for shit stirring. But it would be a mistake to lump the whole thing together as a singular problem with the same sins and same short-comings.

But when it gets to this, literal name calling, it's just juvenile. I don't care why he chose Mitt over Willard. Maybe it was to make him sound more relatable, maybe it's because even if you grow up rich a name like Willard is going to get you made fun of. Maybe he just hated Willard. I don't give a shit and calling him Willard tells me more about the person doing it than it does about Romney.

Thanks, people who weren't doing it and don't care...

[Vetalia]

Shit, couldn't he just go by Bill?

[GreaterPacificNations]

Same thing as the Barack Hussein Obama thing- when Fox incessantly used his middle name during the election. Pundits are a bit like NSG- a bunch of cranks that make news fun. Not the news though.

[Cannot think of a name]

Shit, couldn't he just go by Bill?

There should be a candidate that goes by Econosaur, Bringer of Jobs. And insist it be spelled with a drawing of a t-rex spewing money out of its mouth.

[Cannot think of a name]

Same thing as the Barack Hussein Obama thing- when Fox incessantly used his middle name during the election. Pundits are a bit like NSG- a bunch of cranks that make news fun. Not the news though.

I wouldn't say it's exactly the same thing, but it's similar enough to be annoying. Because when called on it they do say the same thing, "What? That's his name isn't it?" Yes, it is. And you're being a dick about it.

Well, let me hedge my hedge in that both are attempts to paint the candidate as an 'other,' though one is based in class issues and the other race issues, so they are more the same than they are different.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Shit, couldn't he just go by Bill?

There should be a candidate that goes by Econosaur, Bringer of Jobs. And insist it be spelled with a drawing of a t-rex spewing money out of its mouth.

That might get a little difficult when Sarah Palin kills him on the spot and hopes he turns into oil instantly.

[Occupied Deutschland]

Nobody's calling Ron Paul "Ronald", why call Mitt "Willard"?
_{Inevitable response: Because Mitt Romney matters}

Yeah, this is just...wow. I mean, making jokes about the guy for having a first name that saw its last usage when Sherman was burning his way across the South is one thing, but seriously saying you don't trust him because of it? Lawrence O'donnel.

[Occupied Deutschland]

Shit, couldn't he just go by Bill?

There should be a candidate that goes by Econosaur, Bringer of Jobs. And insist it be spelled with a drawing of a t-rex spewing money out of its mouth.

See, that's who Herman Cain evolves to when he wins enough poke-battles gets elected President.

[Farnhamia]

Nobody's calling Ron Paul "Ronald", why call Mitt "Willard"?
_{Inevitable response: Because Mitt Romney matters}

Yeah, this is just...wow. I mean, making jokes about the guy for having a first name that saw its last usage when Sherman was burning his way across the South is one thing, but seriously saying you don't trust him because of it? Lawrence O'donnel.

And then there's the Willard Hotel ...

[New England and The Maritimes]

Nobody's calling Ron Paul"Ronald", why call Mitt "Willard"?

Fixed.

[Farnhamia]

Nobody's calling Ron Paul"Ronald", why call Mitt "Willard"?

Fixed.

Not even Rand?

[New England and The Maritimes]

Fixed.

Not even Rand?

From beyond the grave~

Oh, you mean that guy in Kentucky... I'd have to check...

[Farnhamia]

Not even Rand?

From beyond the grave~

Oh, you mean that guy in Kentucky... I'd have to check...

That guy in Kentucky, yeah. As in his son.

Sad, really.

[Occupied Deutschland]

Nobody's calling Ron Paul "Ronald", why call Mitt "Willard"?
_{Inevitable response: Because Mitt Romney matters}

Yeah, this is just...wow. I mean, making jokes about the guy for having a first name that saw its last usage when Sherman was burning his way across the South is one thing, but seriously saying you don't trust him because of it? Lawrence O'donnel.

And then there's the Willard Hotel ...

1: I REALLY want to see someone superimpose Romney's face on that movie poster. Hy-freakin-sterical.
2: Why is being named after a hotel bad
Unless its
...
*Lightning* Haunted? *Lightning*

[Farnhamia]

And then there's the Willard Hotel ...

1: I REALLY want to see someone superimpose Romney's face on that movie poster. Hy-freakin-sterical.
2: Why is being named after a hotel bad
Unless its
...
*Lightning* Haunted? *Lightning*

Oh, no, the hotel is actually pretty cool. President Grant used to walk down from the White House and smoke in the lobby. Every president since Franklin Pierce has stayed there at least once.

[Maurepas]

I actually think i like Willard better, one of the reasons I didn't like him was I just couldn't see myself saying "President Mitt", Barrack sounded more Presidential than that.

[Cannot think of a name]

Nobody's calling Ron Paul "Ronald", why call Mitt "Willard"?
_{Inevitable response: Because Mitt Romney matters}

Yeah, this is just...wow. I mean, making jokes about the guy for having a first name that saw its last usage when Sherman was burning his way across the South is one thing, but seriously saying you don't trust him because of it? Lawrence O'donnel.

In his partial defense, I think he was at being a little tongue in cheek about it, but it's still stupid and diminishes legitimate commentary. But the trend has been to sell integrity down the road for bombast and snark. Any time a pundit has someone from Best Week Ever on to 'riff' about a current news story I start to think Network was more prescient than I gave it credit for.

[Farnhamia]

I actually think i like Willard better, one of the reasons I didn't like him was I just couldn't see myself saying "President Mitt", Barrack sounded more Presidential than that.

Reminds me of the scene in The Right Stuff

Henry Luce: Now, I want them all to meet my people who will write their true stories, Naturally these stories will appear in Life magazine under their own bylines: For example, "by Betty Grissom", or "by Virgil I. Grisson", or...
Gus Grissom: Gus!
Henry Luce: What was that?
Gus Grissom: Gus. Nobody calls me by... that other name.
Henry Luce: Gus? An astronaut named "Gus"? What's your middle name?
Gus Grissom: Ivan.
Henry Luce: Ivan... ahem... well. Maybe, Gus isn't so bad, might be something there... All right, all right. You can be Gus.

A President named "Mitt"?

[Norstal]

Shit, couldn't he just go by Bill?

There should be a candidate that goes by Econosaur, Bringer of Jobs. And insist it be spelled with a drawing of a t-rex spewing money out of its mouth.

Waiiiiiiit, wouldn't an Econosaur eats money instead?

[Occupied Deutschland]

There should be a candidate that goes by Econosaur, Bringer of Jobs. And insist it be spelled with a drawing of a t-rex spewing money out of its mouth.

Waiiiiiiit, wouldn't an Econosaur eats money instead?

No, no, no. Everyone's all confused.
An Econosaur scrimps and saves its money so it can shop at Econostore.
Either that or it shits 3rd World economies. One or the other...

[Tagmatium]

Shit, couldn't he just go by Bill?

There should be a candidate that goes by Econosaur, Bringer of Jobs. And insist it be spelled with a drawing of a t-rex spewing money out of its mouth.

That shit's basically sig worthy.

[Norstal]

Waiiiiiiit, wouldn't an Econosaur eats money instead?

No, no, no. Everyone's all confused.
An Econosaur scrimps and saves its money so it can shop at Econostore.
Either that or it shits 3rd World economies. One or the other...

Then again, there are sub-species of Econosaurs called the Econosaurus Communiste that just gives away money to everyone.

[Anitgrum]

I actually think i like Willard better, one of the reasons I didn't like him was I just couldn't see myself saying "President Mitt", Barrack sounded more Presidential than that.

Reminds me of the scene in The Right Stuff

Henry Luce: Now, I want them all to meet my people who will write their true stories, Naturally these stories will appear in Life magazine under their own bylines: For example, "by Betty Grissom", or "by Virgil I. Grisson", or...
Gus Grissom: Gus!
Henry Luce: What was that?
Gus Grissom: Gus. Nobody calls me by... that other name.
Henry Luce: Gus? An astronaut named "Gus"? What's your middle name?
Gus Grissom: Ivan.
Henry Luce: Ivan... ahem... well. Maybe, Gus isn't so bad, might be something there... All right, all right. You can be Gus.

A President named "Mitt"?

It not that bad considering there were President with names like Herbert, Warren, Calvin, and Woodrow. It is really not that out of place.

[Maurepas]

Reminds me of the scene in The Right Stuff

Henry Luce: Now, I want them all to meet my people who will write their true stories, Naturally these stories will appear in Life magazine under their own bylines: For example, "by Betty Grissom", or "by Virgil I. Grisson", or...
Gus Grissom: Gus!
Henry Luce: What was that?
Gus Grissom: Gus. Nobody calls me by... that other name.
Henry Luce: Gus? An astronaut named "Gus"? What's your middle name?
Gus Grissom: Ivan.
Henry Luce: Ivan... ahem... well. Maybe, Gus isn't so bad, might be something there... All right, all right. You can be Gus.

A President named "Mitt"?

It not that bad considering there were President with names like Herbert, Warren, Calvin, and Woodrow. It is really not that out of place.

I think Willard would be much more in line with those than Mitt.

[Farnhamia]

Reminds me of the scene in The Right Stuff

Henry Luce: Now, I want them all to meet my people who will write their true stories, Naturally these stories will appear in Life magazine under their own bylines: For example, "by Betty Grissom", or "by Virgil I. Grisson", or...
Gus Grissom: Gus!
Henry Luce: What was that?
Gus Grissom: Gus. Nobody calls me by... that other name.
Henry Luce: Gus? An astronaut named "Gus"? What's your middle name?
Gus Grissom: Ivan.
Henry Luce: Ivan... ahem... well. Maybe, Gus isn't so bad, might be something there... All right, all right. You can be Gus.

A President named "Mitt"?

It not that bad considering there were President with names like Herbert, Warren, Calvin, and Woodrow. It is really not that out of place.

And two named "Franklin." But "Mitt"?