Why the Hell Not?

"Who Remembers Sound Bites?"

The Chicago Tribune's Steve Chapman asks that rhetorical question in a column today about campaign slogans. He doesn't like much of what he sees out there today....in fact, the Kinkster stands alone:

You might think campaign slogans would be perfect for an era of short attention spans. But Wayne Fields of Washington University, author of "Union of Words: A History of Presidential Eloquence," argues that saturation coverage requires candidates to produce new themes week after week, to keep voters from tuning out. A single permanent slogan would only get in the way. Sound bites are easier to tailor to the needs of the moment.

But who remembers sound bites? Nothing beats a catchy slogan, and I'd be willing to pledge my vote to the next candidate who comes up with one. Right now, the only one in sight is the comically eccentric novelist and musician Kinky Friedman, who plans to run for governor of Texas next year.

His slogan: "Why the hell not?" It works for me, even without a verb.