Despite his Princeton education, Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Bradley is using a Dartmouth alumnus' creation to brighten the lives of reporters covering his campaign.
"You're off to great places," declares Bradley's new spokesperson, the Cat in the Hat, on luggage tags issued to media personnel traveling with the presidential campaign. The Cat in the Hat is the creation of Theodor Geisel '27 -- also known as Dr. Seuss.
Bradley's campaign began using images and quotations from the works of the popular children's writer on material issued to journalists at the beginning of January as part of its push into the primary season.
The brightly colored tags and credentials will help "bring a little humor" to people's lives during what promises to be a grueling time on the campaign trail for all involved, Bradley spokesperson Kristen Ludecke said.
Ludecke also pointed out the relationship between Bradley's reference to the campaign as a "joyous journey" and the Seuss quote "Oh, the places you'll go!" appearing on Bradley press credentials.
Although obviously not a major campaign strategy, the Seuss images and quotations offer several benefits for Bradley, said sociology Professor Steven Cornish.
With Bradley in a dead-heat with Vice President Al Gore less than a month before the New Hampshire primary, any stratagem that might serve Bradley's interests is being called upon.
The tags and credentials will serve as a visual reminder for journalists of some of the qualities that the campaign would like attributed to Bradley, and these may then be reflected in their reporting, Cornish said.
One such quality is Bradley's position as a Washington outsider, he said. The use of images so unconventional for a political campaign reflects Bradley's attempt to distance himself from business as usual.
Director of the Rockefeller Center and government Professor Linda Fowler agreed with Cornish's assessment.
"I think it's all part of his effort to show ... that he's got a fresh perspective," she said.
Bradley's use of a popular cultural icon also "has echoes of the way in which the Clinton campaign used Fleetwood Mac's 'Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow,'" Cornish said, since the quotes selected all imply a positive future for America with Bradley.
Cornish said the excerpts may also encourage a positive media angle by calling to mind pleasant childhood and family memories.
Assistant Professor of Government Lynn Vavreck offered one alternative explanation for the use of the unusual imagery. "Maybe he just likes Dr. Seuss," she said.
