Dra-a-a-go!

An inappropriate name can be a terrible burden to those in the public eye.

Would moviegoers snicker if it was Marion Morrison (The Duke's real name) single-handedly defeating the Japanese in WWII instead of "John Wayne"? Would we go "over the rainbow" with Frances Gumm (her real name) in place of "Judy Garland"? Would anyone vote for Barack Hussein Obama post 9/11?

This summer, Seattle Councilwoman Jan Drago ran for mayor of that fair city and was soundly defeated despite sterling qualifications and a well-financed campaign. The only possible explanation was backlash from fans of the "Rocky" movie franchise. Ivan Drago was the consummate Rocky villain. His "atomic punch" caused the death of Apollo Creed in "Rocky IV". He boasted "I will destroy you" before his match with Rocky and very nearly did so. Fortunately, Rocky was in tip-top physical condition having chopped down half the trees in Russia and run up Siberia's tallest mountain dragging a truck tire behind him screaming a defiant "Dra-a-a-go!" Take that, "Evil Empire"! This was true patriotism in 1985. Movie fans ate it up and "Rocky IV" was the highest-grossing of the series.

Fast forward to a Seattle voting booth twenty-four years later. We voters ignore issues and candidate's qualifications. Our vote is determined by "attack ads", those "robo-calls" that disturbed our dinner last night, and the candidate's name. We read "Drago" on the ballot and the image of a muscle-bound agent of atheistic, monolithic Communism leaps to mind. To vote for Drago would be like a citizen of London in 1814 voting for a guy named Napoleon. You just can't do it.

Hopefully, Ms Drago is undeterred by her electoral defeat this summer. All she has to do is change her name to something heroic and truly American, like Sylvestra Stallone. She will obtain that crucial Rocky vote and sweep into office.

After all, Cary Grant didn't become Cary Grant until he changed his name from Archibald Leach.