To the Editor:
Two brief observations about the campaign:
* When did the word "Democrat" become an adjective? I thought it was a noun. When I was growing up it was. So can someone tell me why more than a few Virginia Republicans insist on referring to the Democratic Party and candidates running as that party's candidates as the "Democrat Party" and "Democrat candidates" respectively? I've begun noticing this in opinion letters to The Connection and other local newspapers, as well as in interviews and campaign literature. I have yet to see a Democrat refer to something called the "Republic Party" or "Republic candidates." Did Karl Rove and Frank Luntz send a memo around ordering people to stop saying "Democratic?" It's interesting that these are many of the same folks who want all immigrants to learn English. Which brand of English should they be learning?
* And why do Chris Craddock's (R) handlers in Richmond, by way of their numerous direct mail pieces, insist on calling Chuck Caputo (D) "Carmin 'Chuck' Caputo?" Nobody calls him Carmin. I don't think his own wife calls him Carmin. So why does the Craddock campaign keep hammering the name Carmin into our mailboxes day after day? Craddock's campaign manager, Jim Howland, told me it's because "that's how his name will appear on the ballot." Well, OK, so there's a technical excuse. They're following the letter of the law. This is kind of funny coming from a guy who's managing a candidate who can't keep himself from getting pulled over by traffic cops, but I digress. I checked with the Fairfax County Elections Board and the Virginia State Board of Elections, and we will be seeing "C. Chuck Caputo" on the ballot. I pointed this out to Jim Howland, but got no response. So what is the real reason, Jim? My own feelings about this are those of a Jewish person whose father had to change his name to hide his ethnicity. I congratulate Jim Howland on his command of hardball political tactics, but I wonder how this squares with Chris Craddock's "traditional moral values."
David Gaines
Fairfax