What would happen if a political scandal couldn’t be tied to
water or a gate?
I don't think that will ever happen again. Not in this age of media.
You're probably right.
So, today's Sametime Status deals with our fascination of naming every political "scandal" using the suffix "gate" or else making sure that "water" is in there somewhere. The whole trend, of course, stems from the Watergate scandal of 1972. Since then, pretty much every time some political party feels the need to disparage the other, they drum up a scandal, and the media grabs onto it and gives it a catchy name, usually with "gate" at the end. It's riveting stuff.
Here is a partial list of "-gate" scandals, for your edutainment: Angolagate, Betsygate, Billygate, Bingogate, Bonusgate, Bridgegate, Brothelgate, Coingate, Coalgate, Corngate, Debategate, Fajitagate, Filegate, Garglegate, Gategate, Irangate, Iraqgate, Monicagate, Nkandlagate, Pardongate, Pastagate, Pastygate, Rinkagate, Squidgygate, Strippergate, Troopergate (Numbers 1-3), Weinergate (which works on multiple levels).
Some of those are funny, but the whole thing is a little sad. I also can't imagine any controversy involving fajitas. Everybody agrees they're delicious. I can't be bothered to look up the story.
Very fortunate, really, that the people involved in the Blackwater and Whitewater scandals already were called "Blackwater Security Consulting" and "Whitewater Development Corporation." That made naming the scandals easy and form-fitting.
But, we really should stop this. We're not going to get more creative with developing our political scandals, in fact, it's only lamer now with stupid lawsuits flying in both directions and whatnot, so we may as well be a little more original with the names. I don't think that's too much to ask.
No comments:
Post a Comment