Too much namecalling happening in politics. It reminds me of a story I heard about two guys who found out they were being considered for the CEO position at a major company. They managed to get word to different factions on the decision making team and, in short, thoroughly trashed each other. Since both seemed honest, both were believed. And, as you might guess, someone else was hired.

What really gets to me is how political namecalling would never pass the HR sniff test.

Take the brouhaha over Barack Obama’s middle name. What HR person would tolerate using someone’s name as if it was a slur? Plenty of people have names traditionally associated with a nationality that they aren’t. Look at the baby books. And while you’re there, look up Barack. I don’t know what his parents’ intention was when they named him, but Barack is a Biblical name. Check out Judges for the story of Deborah - he’s her general. And the other Barack I was thinking of was the character in Leon Uris’s Exodus, the leader of the kibbutz who changed his name to Barack, citing the reference to Deborah’s general. So does that make Senator Obama Jewish? As much as Muslim, I’d say…

Politics would be kinder and gentler if it took a lesson from HR.