National Review has an article about Governor Daniels. I can’t get to the article, so I’m not linking to it. But, the cover has a picture of him with “The Blade” underneath. How does he keep that moniker after his performance at the Office of Management and Budget for the Bush administration while that administration was squandering the Clinton era surplus and ballooning the deficit horribly? According to Wikipedia, during his 2001-2003 tenure, a $236 billion surplus turned into a $400 billion deficit. Sure, his personal preferences ultimately wouldn’t carry the day if George W. Bush, his boss, wanted something else. But, even if he was some sort of tragic figure, heroically struggling against forces larger than himself, at the least he should still have to lose his macho nickname by way of sacrifice and be called “The Paper Tiger” or something that recognizes his ineffectiveness at that post.
I recommend “The Limp Blade.”
It suggests a blade that really *wanted* to cut, but that just couldn’t perform.
That works for me, Peter. If Daniels has a PR man, that person should get some kind of award, because the reputation FAR exceeds the reality. It’s laughable to associate any cutting tool with Mitch Daniels.
A lot more than Clinton, Bush, and Daniels had an impact on the budgets of those years.
Daniels may well merit substantive criticism – but this is kind of a ‘drive-by’, I think.
For some perspective on the numbers, see:
National Debt Chart 2000-2019
Sure, it’s “drive by” — but then a nickname like “The Blade” isn’t exactly a substantive starting point. It’s superficial as well.
True, Doug – but our expectations of you are much higher!
Well, there’s your first mistake, right there!
When he worked for Bush, did they call him the Washington Blade?