The “Dork & Mindy” bitch-slap theory of local politics.

When America’s free-falling President Shrub and his GOP bunker mates publicly refer to the Democratic party the “Democrat party,” does it mean that they’re syntax-challenged dolts, or is it being done intentionally as a not-so-subtle means of disparagement?

Perhaps both. Here’s a handy explanation, as offered by Josh Marshall's Talking Points Memo (I sincerely thank my source, who is in enough “trouble” already):

Matt Yglesias has an interesting series of posts on his site about just what the big deal is when Republicans call the Democratic party the 'Democrat party'.

As it happens, a few months back I got an email from a TPM Reader who I think was a linguist. And he explained that there is something about the concatenation of syllables, the sound or structure of the phrase 'Democrat party' that actually sounds somehow inherently grating or awkward on the ears. When I got the note I think I was busy with something else. And I never really got a chance to work through and understand just what the guy was saying. I think I'll probably try to dig it up.

But that is a secondary point. The whole issue of 'Democrat' party -- other than as an example of Republican infantilism -- is an issue of respect or rather intentional and repeated expression of disrespect as a means of asserting dominance.

There's a certain conservative columnist named James X. who shall remain unnamed. At some point a few years back I had cause to exchange an email with him. And I called him 'Jim'. I don't think I gave it a second thought. I'm Josh or Joshua -- doesn't matter to me. But a short time later I got a half questioning, half barely repressed anger email from the guy asking whether I was intentionally disrespecting him by addressing him as 'Jim', the diminutive form of the name. Now, as I say, it was accidental. I apologized and explained that it was totally unintentional. And if he preferred to be called James I would certainly do so. As it happens, in the intervening years, my lack of respect for him has grown apace. But I'd still always call him James and not Jim. And this is the point. You address people the way they choose to be addressed. You address them by what they consider to be their name. In the ordinary course of life, when people do otherwise, we rightly recognize that they're trying to pick a fight or demean the person in question.

It is, as Matt points out, another illustration of the 'bitch-slap theory of politics'. You assert dominance over someone by mangling their name and continuing to do so even after the correct pronunciation or style is pointed out. It's right off the schoolyard and it's no surprise that it's a stock and trade of this president.

Locally, we refer to this same phenomenon – one so appropriately summarized by Marshall as “infantilism” -- as the “Dork & Mindy” bitch-slap theory of politics … and, for that matter, of all troglodyte blogging.

Accordingly, when Ms. Denhart refers to Mayor James Garner as “Jimmy” at her gasbag shrine, does it seem to you – as it does me – that her strategic choice of diminutive has far less to do with any personal deficiencies in social grace than it does with the patrician Republican peering over the fake academic’s shoulder, who artfully impels the trogosphere’s most pathetic puppet to dance?

NAC wanted to find out, so we dispatched our purely fictional roving correspondent Gordy Gant to Primrose Lane, where he succeeded in capturing a brief interview with prominent businesswoman and GOP stalwart Auntie V. We offer it here in the spirit of outrageously contrived satire, lest undiscerning readers mistakenly miss the joke and believe that the following account is somehow real.

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Gant:
You must be a special person to move to a new city and win the hearts and confidence of the populace with your first impression.

Auntie V:
I took on a project to create a quiet zone and kept trying to get the mayor to participate, as was a requirement by Norfolk Southern. He blew off five meetings, one which was even at HIS office. Norfolk Southern rep flew in from Roanoke for three of the meetings and it was getting embarrassing. I wrote a letter to a local senator and enrolled her assistance (one short pointed letter of support) and that ingratiated the railroad enough that they gave me $360,000 which enrolled INDOT (IN dept of Transp) to toss in the $180,000 balance I needed to upgrade our historic RR corridor.

SO, I went to the council meeting on Jan. 5th and explained the series of events which got me to the point that I called him a coward, a liar, a bully, wreckles, lacking in integrity, etc. and then I turned around and said, JIMMY, YOU WORK FOR ME And IF I was the boss I would fire you. For insubordination. His name is James and little did I know how upset he would be for calling him Jimmy, which I did on purpose to put him down, but didn’t realize I’d get such a rise out of him, which back fired on him worse, on top of making him look stupid. It’s much more involved than that, but that’s the nutshell explaination.

I had a video guy there to film the whole meeting. When I finished my speech, the entire room was cheering and clapping, as we are all fed up with him, and then I walked toward the door and one of the councilmen stood up and said, V, that is the most courageous thing I have ever seen anybody do. And the audience went crazy again applauded and all that stuff.

Gant:
I can't wait to hear the stories as to how that happened ... (muffled sounds … coughing ... we think that Gordy has fallen ill and will be taking a few days off ... )