A staffer with the Bob Lord for Congress campaign sent me a communication today suggesting that I might want to write a little something about how that kooky John Shadegg fella pronounces the word nuclear “nookyular”… just like George W. Bush!

I have to admit, it is kind of funny, at least in a juvenile student council race sort of way. But you know, I think I wouldn’t mind so much if John Shadegg said “nookyular” just like George W. Bush, so long as…

… he didn’t support an unnecessary, deadly and costly war in Iraq, just like George W. Bush
… he didn’t oppose a woman’s right to control her own body, just like George W. Bush
… he didn’t support the erection of a massive unwarranted surveillance network, just like George W. Bush
… he didn’t have the annoying tendency of characterizing American military adventures as holy wars, just like George W. Bush
… he didn’t bust the budget with unnecessary military spending on outlandish weapons systems that even the military said it didn’t want, just like George W. Bush
… he didn’t cut benefits for the soldiers he sent overseas to be shot at and bombed, just like George W. Bush
… he didn’t try to argue that global warming is a hoax, ignoring the clear research findings on the subject just like George W. Bush

If John Shadegg hadn’t worked so hard with George W. Bush to send this country barreling in the wrong direction, I wouldn’t really mind how he pronounced the word “nuclear.” Heck, if he had paid enough attention to science, the budget, our veterans, and the actual available intelligence on international affairs, he could add entirely new vowels to our language and I wouldn’t bat an eyelash.

John Shadegg’s pronunciation is forgivable. His policies are a disaster.