Around The Corner Blog

The Politics of "Gotcha" and Rep. Bob Etheridge

Yesterday a YouTube video reached “viral” status showing North Carolina Congressman Bob Etheridge forcefully confronting two unidentified “college students” after the students asked whether Rep. Etheridge supported the Obama agenda.

According to Politico, DNC spokesperson Brad Woodhouse says, “Motives matter, and I think you can see who was behind this,” alluding to the suspicion that the Republican Party was the behind the tracking operation.  Nevertheless, both political parties are guilty of the “gotcha” game. 

Remember when a liberal tracker caught former Congressman George Allen saying “macaca” at an event that lead to his defeat in Virginia.  Unfortunately, this is the norm in today’s politics.  Many critics inquire as to why the faces of the two college students are blurred; well I would blur my face too.  We all remember what happen to Joe the Plumber after his infamous question to then-candidate Obama on the campaign trail.  His finances and records were made public as well as other private details. 

Politics is and continues to be a nasty game.  The moral of the story is…in the day and age of real-time internet, when you encounter someone holding a camera you better smile and be on your best behavior or avoiding the camera.  Moreover, politicians must understand the power of the internet to propel their careers or end them. 

In today’s anti-incumbent political environment, this sort of slip-up by Congressman Etheridge could cost him his election.  Some pundits say Etheridge is too strong of politician with a sizeable war chest and will weather this storm.  Of course, pundits also said that George Allen would survive his storm, but he did not.  Do you think that Rep. Etheridge can survive?