It’s been awhile since I’ve written a press release, having been away from PR. So I’m shaking off some rust, writing one, now, about this mission I’m on to make the political word ‘caucus’ the world’s next, best expletive.
There’s this sense of urgency – getting the press release ready — driven by current events, just recently. Like, for example, the audit underway of the 2020 presidential votes in Arizona. Isn’t this the umpteenth audit, already? Over-and-over, since last year, multiple audits were initiated in Arizona and other states. Legal challenges were filed, and judges – many of them appointed during Donald Trump’s presidency – determined that voting was fair and square, in all the states where legal challenges were carried out. Including Arizona.
And now, six months after the 2020 presidential election, there’s another audit… again?
The 2.1 million ballots cast during the 2020 election, are being brought in for recounting at an election ballot audit ordered by the Republican-led Arizona Senate at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, during a news conference Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Phoenix. The equipment used in the November election won by President Joe Biden and the 2.1 million ballots were moved to the site Thursday so Republicans in the state Senate who have expressed uncertainty that Biden’s victory was legitimate have them recounted and audit the results.
According to an article in Raw Story, reports were “coming in about lack of planning and questionable practices as the GOP-led audit of the 2020 presidential votes in Arizona” and that “questions are being raised over the impact the fumbling attempt to find a Donald Trump victory may have on the future of Arizona’s Republican Party.”
And a few days ago, “Trump issued multiple press releases about the recount with the ex-president demanding Republican Gov. Doug Ducey call out the National Guard to protect the ‘patriots’ who are doing the audit.” And “the New York Times reported that the audit has been, at best, chaotic with one critic pointing out the organizers are ‘making it up as they go along.’”
And then, as I’m working on my press release and this article, there’s breaking news in the Arizona Republic newspaper about the GOP-controlled legislature trotting “out roughly two dozen bills meant to make it more difficult to vote, at least for people who don’t choose to vote Republican.”
And, you know what I’m thinking? I’m thinking ‘caucus’ with the adjective – ‘flaming’ – preceding it.
And then later, thinking about the Archuleta County Board of Commissioners and short-term rental issues out your way, and affordable housing problems, and so on, I’ve got ‘caucus’ running through my mind again, with the words ‘what a’ preceding it.
What a flaming caucus!
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.