Friday, June 03, 2005

Proper names

Garance applies the standard semantics for proper names to the verbal outputs of Republican consultant Lionel Sosa. This is an error.

After being very critical of John Kerry for lacking the kind of interpersonal warmth Hispanic voters want to see in a candidate -- and consequently the kind of credible, optimistic messaging -- Sosa seemed surprisingly bullish on Hillary Clinton...

It all comes down to self-image. As Sosa told me, "We may not be millionaires, but as long as the door is open we are equal to anybody in America." That's what people want to hear -- and how they want to be treated, too.

Now, whose message does that sound like? Warmth, optimism, the need for equality of opportunity... goes to show that when a Republican recommends a Democratic primary candidate by name, you have to interpret him as recommending a candidate to whom the name is not causally linked.

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