Topsy-turvy

When political parties attempt to rebrand they should avoid providing gifts for their opponents. A decade ago Theresa May said the Conservatives were viewed as “the nasty party” and cited this opinion as rationale for modernisation. Unfortunately, the soundbite stuck and now any Conservative policy that the Labour party doesn’t agree with is labelled as from the nasty party by left-wingers in press and politics alike. It wasn’t a traditional gaffe, in much the same way as Pope Benedict XVI, quoting from a Byzantine Emperor’s inflammatory opinion of Muslims to show the need for religious harmony, was slated as holding these same opinions when he said nothing of the sort. Yet it snowballed.


Now with Mitt Romney, reaffirming that his dismissal of 47% of Amercians really was what he believed (though he never denied it, admittedly, obfuscating “This is me, not the campaign” – but the campaign is about you!), telling a donor that Barack Obama won the election by giving parts of the population under stress (he would call them poor people) healthcare, free contraceptives and forgiveness of college loan interests. Romney is condemning these tactics when they are those of the moderate. Such things in Europe would go unremarked and maybe that’s the point.

Thankfully, there is some sanity in the Republican party and New Hampshire senator Kelly Ayotte, New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Idaho congressman Raul Labrador (what a name! Imagine if he became president – ‘British PM is poodle to Labrador’) have all castigated the remarks and the inherent divisiveness. Here is where the gaffe was committed. Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal (justifiably a rising star) said the Republicans had to stop being "the stupid party." This comment will be used ad infinitum and ad nauseam in ads by Democrats and by the commentariat in general. Everytime they disagree with Obama or the Democrats now, the response will be “Oh look, it’s the stupid party causing a stink.” Way to go Jindal. You will star more prominently in Democrat campaigns than Republican ones in the future. It will be your epitaph (at least the British Home Secretary has kitten heels to fall back on).  But you were speaking sense! It’s a cruel world.