America has always had plenty of cute nicknames for politicians, both complimentary and insulting; there’s nothing new about this. I’m sure His Accidency and Old Fuss and Feathers were none too pleased with their imposed monikers. It’s a good way to hurl an insult or two at someone you don’t like.
I can appreciate an insult if they’re clever. Slick Willy always rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, it just seemed so generic; there was nothing clever about it at all. Ronnie Raygun was okay, though a bit overbearing as jokes go. Tricky Dick fits Nixon very well, though; it was tailored right to him, which pleases me. It combines qualities specific to his personality with his actual name. (I mean, you can dismiss any politician as slick; I’d expect more from the opposition, you know?)
As others have pointed out: Shrub pokes at Bush by referring to his name and saying something about his stature. It accuses Bush of being nothing but a lesser version of his father, and implies that Bush couldn’t have gotten to where he is if he weren’t related to whom he’s related to, and that there’s something unappealing about that. Whether you agree with that assessment of Bush or not, you have to admit it’s a quality dig. I’m sure it was never uttered in a kind way, either; it was Molly Ivins who came up with the nickname. (I’d like to add that I explained what a shrub is to my student, whom I teach ESL to, and how it applies to Bush. He thought it was hilarious, and I got a good lesson out of it. (Lest anyone think I’m using my paid position to push my own agenda, let me clarify that my student is Japanese and has no intention of relinquishing his Japanese citizenship.))
I expect cleverness from a name-based insult. My last name is one that people have tried to make jokes out of in the past, but those Slavic names can really throw someone for a loop. I mean, my last name doesn’t actually sound like any English words, which renders insulters helpless as they look for places to plug in an extra syllable or something to make my name sound funny. It doesn’t work. I’ve tried to parody my own name myself, but to no avail. When faced with such a dilemma, the insulter should just avoid that tactic. I mean, when Rush Limbaugh used to call Mario Cuomo “Cumo,” it was just pathetic. He’s just mispronouncing his name, but “Cumo” doesn’t mean anything! It’s not funny!!! I’ll give Limbaugh credit for trying when he referred to the late Senator Paul Wellstone as “Senator Welfare,” but it still falls a little flat in my book. As an admirer of Senator Wellstone, perhaps I’m a bit biased, but that’s just not that funny—but at least Limbaugh’s trying. Maybe now that he’s off the drugs he’ll be funnier, but I doubt it.