This weekend, the Connecticut Secretary of State ruled that voters who are wearing WWE shirts or caps must either remove them or cover them up before entering the polling place. The ruling is based upon the premise that since Linda McMahon, the Republican candidate, was the CEO of WWE, anyone dressed in the organization’s apparel is, in effect, campaigning for her. A video by her husband, Vince McMahon, contending this position is at the end of this piece.
Susan Bysiewicz, the official who made the ruling and a Democrat, defended her decision based upon the following analogy: She claimed that when Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California, potential voters were not permitted to wear any clothes that bore his image or that of characters he had played in films. It seems to me that there is a big difference between the two cases and that there is a much cleaner analogy.
Arnold’s image or that of one of his characters clearly shows his representation, and could possibly, I guess, be interpreted as support for him as an individual. I don’t believe that WWE merchandise usually has Linda McMahon’s image on it. I’m not a fan of the genre (I stopped caring about professional wrestling when Bruno Sammartino retired), but I didn’t know that she had anything to do with the ‘sport’ until this year. A more likely case could be made that when Mark Dayton runs for public office in Minnesota were voters forbidden to bring Target bags with them into the polling place? I doubt it.
Anyway, Vince McMahon (who I DID know was involved with the WWE) has put out a video defending the right of WWE fans to wear clothing supporting the organization, shown below.
October 24th, 2010 at 11:45 am
I think we should all stick to normal, unadorned attire for such events. I don’t want to see their side, they don’t want to see mine—so let’s all behave and be responsible this go ’round. This election is too important to let such distractions get in the way.
October 24th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
And should Michelle Obama quit campaigning at polling places?
October 24th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Where is Micky?
October 24th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
VOTE NAKED !!!
There, solved that.
Nah, maybe not.
If everyone were naked it would only be moonbats which in turn would only attract more naked moonbats
I was gifted a 3 day trip to the Big Isle, me and my family, by the rehab/foodbank community.
Of course my mother and her husband, both rabid moonbats who watch Katy for 1/2 an hour everyday and think they’re “thee” most politically astute because of that, living on Mauna Kea, an active volcano, out in the middle of nowhere.
Seriously, no joking.
I’d of rather spent the time in jail while at their place. The B&B escape every evening and sunrise(ridiculously beautiful) was the only thing keeping what sanity I had left.
Biting my lip for four days was sheer fcking torture.
But yeah, I intenionally left my laptop at home.
October 24th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Thats okay.
No worries.
Most gear will probably be WTF gear.
October 24th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
I think Michelle knew exactly what she was doing and should have been grounded. Better yet, fired as flotus.
October 24th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
I am pretty sure that’s illegal to deny anyone the right to vote as long as they have proper ID and everything. I really hope that the current Secretary of State loses upon this assinine decision. Anyways, politicians suck. Susan Bysiewicz you’re f*cking retarded.
October 24th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
As an Independent I wonder if this applies to all the people who still have Kerry 04 bumper stickers. Susan is officially useless and it is time for her to go (even if it means putting that annoying little porky guy in her place)
October 24th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
I mean, I can see the connection. I stopped buying Heinz ketchup in 2004 because I didn’t want to promote John Kerry in any way. It has only taken us 6 years to adjust to Hunts.
October 24th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
I believe thats junk. people should be able come wearing whatever they want (given the obvious: not something like a fishnet suit, not publicly inappropriate, etc.) and vote. it’s freedom of expression.
How many serious voters, that read the candidates arguments/plans/etc. or just prefer a particular party are going to walk up to a polling booth and see an individual wear an Undertaker or Triple H shirt and think “Oh my. that shirt makes a good point, I should change my vote.”
And for the people that might be swayed by that, there most likely WWE fans that are already voting for McMahon because of her WWE affiliation, regardless if they happen to see WWE paraphernalia at the Polls.
Other people might consider that a dumb reason to pick a candidate, but thats there freedom to choose that way. It is one of the things that make this country great (or terrible depending on how you view it). But it is there and we have the right to exercise it.
I have the right to go in the polling booth with a coin, and choose my votes based on coin flips. I do not because it seems dumb to me but the thought is still there. Just like I think people should be allowed to come and exercise there right to vote in a WWE hat, or terminator t-shirt, carrying a target bag, whatever.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:59 am
GoDuke, your mistake was giving up ketchup instead of pork and beans. I mean, hunt’s didn’t know how to spell their own product!
Micky, kudos on being gifted. The last time we were on the big island, we trekked down some dirt road to the ocean at konoka and it took us the rest of the day to get back up.