Puppaganda: How Big Jim Uses a Big Dog as Distraction
Politicians often use their dogs as a means of distracting the public from the policies they implement or are seeking to implement. By presenting themselves as loving pet owners, they aim to soften their image and shift the focus away from their actions and decisions that may harm the public. Politicians across the country use cute and cuddly animals to convince you of their humanity, gain your trust, but also distract you from the real issues you may be facing. Whether it's Clinton's cat, Putin’s dogs, or Elizabeth Warren's dog endorsing a burrito, we all perk up and let our guard down a little when cuddly companions come running around, even if we don’t have a great opinion of their owner.
No politician in recent memory has used their pet for political gain quite like that of West Virginia governor Jim Justice. Since coming into office in 2017, Justice has frequently used his English bulldog as public fodder to soften up his image and the conservative policies he and his administration are pushing. On recent trips around the state, Justice makes sure babydog has a front-row seat by his side as he extolls the virtues of cutting the personal income tax by 50%, a move that officials say would devastate the state budget and overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest West Virginians the most.
During the state's effort to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19, Justice launched the “Do It For Babydog” sweepstakes, a lottery in which residents that received the vaccine were entered into a drawing for prizes ranging from pickup trucks and engraved rifles to wedding trips and lawn mowers. Although babydog’s name, face, and paws were all over the marketing of the program, it simply did not produce the results he was looking for. These prizes were purchased with the $1.25 billion in federal Covid relief funds awarded to the state to help offset problems related to the pandemic. Justice has been under recent scrutiny for his handling of those funds as it was revealed that the remaining money was transferred to a slush fund for the governor to do with what he saw fit, including a new $10 million Marshall University baseball stadium. Even those in the governor's majority party have problems with this spending, “Isn’t that money laundering?” asked Sen. Randy Smith, R-Tucker. “I’m not saying there was anything illegally done. Some of it is borderline unethical … I guess we’ll find out?”
The use of babydog is pure political theater on Justice’s part. He attempts to play into the emotions of the voters, creating a sense of relatability and warmth towards himself. People tend to have a soft spot for animals (dogs especially) and by showcasing his love for her, Justice hopes to tap into this sentiment and win over public opinion. Justice infamously showed babydogs actual soft spot during a state of the state in which he told a critic of the state’s structural inequities to kiss her heiney.
I, I’m sure like many, found it even more embarrassing than the tweet and the person he was firing back at. Instead of addressing the issues head-on, Justice opts to show his dog as an extension of himself, thus diverting the attention of the public and media.
This tactic is nothing more than a smokescreen, meant to hide the reality of Justice’s numerous financial troubles and potential crimes of his vast business empire as well as his current policies and decisions. Instead of addressing the real issues, like our crumbling jail, foster care, and public school systems, just to name a few, he is actively trying to distract and manipulate the public into thinking that he is a kind and compassionate individual when all material evidence supports the opposite.
As big Jim eyes a potential run at Senate, it’s important to recognize his use of baby as a calculated move aimed at distracting the public from his disastrous policies and decades of corruption at the expense of everyday West Virginians. It is essential that voters remain vigilant and hold politicians accountable for their actions, rather than being swayed by the use of emotional appeals and distractions, even if the pet is chunky and cute.