ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 15, 1997 TAG: 9703170016
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
How about a pledge from political candidates not to clobber their opponents - and the voters - with cliches?
THE RACE to become Virginia's next governor is in its infancy, but already the presumed Democratic nominee, Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, has been TASL'D. That is, he's been labeled ``tax-and-spend liberal Democrat'' by his presumed Republican opponent, Attorney General Jim Gilmore.
Can't the shopworn and frazzled label be retired? We don't know who first introduced it, but it's been long overworked and needs a rest.
If Republicans will agree to drop TASLD, maybe Democrats will agree to drop a few of the tedious tags they apply to the Republicans. WHAMS (wrongheaded and mean-spirited) comes to mind.
With the money spent these days on communications consultants and wordmeisters, you'd think they office-seekers could come up with a fresh phrase or two, instead of relying on the same cliches campaign after campaign.
PRESIDENT Clinton this week proposed that broadcasters provide free air time to political candidates in exchange for the digital high-definition television licenses they're to get for free.
Not only could it cut the role of money in campaigns, the president said, candidates should "talk directly to the voters without gimmicks or intermediaries."
Hackneyed gimmicks like TASLD and WHAMS?
LENGTH: Short : 36 linesby CNB