Nowadays it is a fate worse than death to be "labeled," unless of course it's with your very own "personal brand." Witness the love of Obama staffers for actually throwing around the term "the Obama brand," as if their boss is too cool not just for the political party that nominates him, but for ordinary politics altogether. Which brings up an unfortunate fact about brands--whether political, business or personal--they are mostly bull.
Still, here we are. In Massachusetts, the telegenic Scott Brown drove his aging truck to victory as a down-to-earth guy, despite rumors that the truck was purchased for the purpose of transporting his daughter's show horses to equestrian competitions. Running against him Elizabeth Warren has had to wrestle with her school-marm image, which she has managed to turn into an asset. Now the whole Native American brouhaha, that she claimed "minority" status once because she is 1/32 Cherokee, could well undermine her campaign. Not because as Republicans have it, that she's exploited a loophole for personal gain--it's not the gain that will bother people--but it may dent her "brand" as a straight shooter.
And, continuing on our western theme, let me note that in addition to his fashion mandates (see post below), CIA agent Jose Rodriguez insisted in his 60 Minutes interview that the CIA's post-911 means of "interrogation" were necessary to let the terrorists know "there was a new sheriff in town." That's the genius of his cohort's branding of the issue--that the world has changed forever and we need to throw out old rules like the Geneva Convention for new set of rules, yet on the other hand, these new rules are somehow simple, brave frontier justice, that will lead us back to a purer time instead of forward to a dark future.
But we know westerns, Mr. Rodriguez. You are not the sheriff. You are the mangy outlaw.
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