Washington Post: Using Middle Names is "Juvenile", "Contemptable"

During the last election, I argued that the Webb campaign's (and his supporters) use of George Allen's middle name was childish and immature. Now, the Washington Post has found this so important they dedicated their Sunday Editorial to make this same point.

Of course, they aren't talking about the Webb/Allen race. During the months of "Felix", the Washington Post did not say ONE WORD about the practice. Instead, they bring it up now, in their editorial Sticks, Stones, and Mr. Obama:

IT'S BECOME a fad among some conservatives to refer to the junior senator from Illinois by his full name: Barack Hussein Obama. This would be merely juvenile if it weren't so contemptible. Republican lobbyist Ed Rogers, on "Hardball," was one of the early adopters of this sleazy tactic. "Count me down as somebody who underestimates Barack Hussein Obama," he said.

So what prompts their sudden concern? Well, some republicans have taken to using Barack Obama's full name (not like Senator Ted Kennedy, who called him Osama Obama). The idea is to remind voters that his middle name is "Hussein". This is of course childish -- Barack didn't choose his middle name, so the middle name doesn't inform us about his philosophy or opinions.

I haven't looked at any of the left-wing blogs like NLS or Raising Kaine to see if they have shared this "outrage" -- I wouldn't be surprised, because, like the Washington Post, liberals have little problems with being hypocrits (I would note that it is only slightly less hypocritical for republicans who complained about "Felix" to use "Hussein" -- I say less because if you argue something is wrong, but your opponent does it anyway, doing it back to them could be considered "fair" in that you are merely repaying them evil for evil. Whereas using a technique to your own advantage, only to complain about it when your opponent does it back, is truly hypocritical.

So, any of your left-wingers who were so proud of yourselves for knowing how to say Allen's middle name want to attack the Washington Post for calling your tactic "juvenile", "contemptable", and "sleazy"? Anybody expect the Post to go back and denounce Webb's campaign for the same tactic?

I didn't think so.