Vilsack’s “V”: What’s in a Letter? (Part I)

The following is excerpted from the Democratic Leadership Corporation’s theatrical work-in-progress, The Tragedy of Hillary and Vilsack:

HILLARY

‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy,--
Thou art thyself, though not a Vilsack.
What’s Vilsack? It is not hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? That which we call a Republican
By any other name would smell of defeat…

& VILSACK

Since Governor Tom Vilsack announced he is running for President, there’s been more buzz about his campaign logo than his actual candidacy. Regardless of what people are talking about, they're still talking about Vilsack – for now, anyhow. The big question still remains: What’s up with the “V”?

To look deeper into this, Political Fallout will unfold a V-part series which examines the possible subtext, allusions, hidden meanings, and/or prophetic implications of Vilsack’s “V”.

Alluison #1: “V for Vendetta”

Vilsack’s allusion to the symbolic “V” in “V for Vendetta” is by no means a coincidence. As V, the film’s main character states: “I, like God, do not play with dice and do not believe in coincidence.” Both the film and Vilsack’s run for the presidency share a number of similarities. V and Vilsack are planting the seeds for a people-powered revolution in November, in which the people overthrow the reign of an inept regime fueled by the moral hypocrisies of right-wing extremists. Hmmm…sound familiar?

The symbol “V” itself is derived from an upside down “A”, similar to that of the Anarchists’ symbol, so the question is whether or not Vilsack is subconsciously inciting a grassroots anarchy, or better yet, an upside-down grassroots anarchy:

Vive le DLC!
Vive le DLC!!
Vive le DLC!!!

Weapons of MassiVe Destruction: Political Vernacular

V: In his vivacious quest for a revolution, V is well versed in the King’s vernacular and uses V-inspired alliteration when introducing himself and vexing villains:

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."

V also has a tendency to invoke Shakespeare quotes to appeal to the valiant tastes of the more civilized revolutionaries:

"The multiplying villainies of nature do swarm upon him...(Skipping four of the original lines) Disdaining fortune with his brandished steel/which smoked with bloody execution..." (Macbeth 1.2.17-18)

"We are oft to blame in this. 'Tis too much proved that with devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar o'er the devil himself." (Hamlet 3.1.46-49)

"And thus I clothe my naked villainy/With old odd ends, stol'n forth of holy writ;/And seem a saint, when most I play the devil" (Richard III (play) 1.3.336-38)

"I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none." (Macbeth 1.7.17-18)

Vilsack: must also use a fine-tuned, well-scripted vernacular to overcome his pundit prophesized long-shot status -- if he’s to win the Democratic Party nod. Peppering his speeches with Shakespearean and Shakespeare-inspired quotes might help further Vilsack’s political cause as well.

Political Fallout Prophecy: After a fourth place finish in the Iowa Caucuses, Vilsack, wearing a replica of V’s mask, mounts the stage and gives a speech to fire up his DLC base:

"Thank you. Thank you all. I would like to begin with a quote from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, 'Conceal me what I am, and be my aid. For such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent.'"

(A bewildered audience looks on as Vilsack takes a dramatic pause. When the cheering and clapping subside, followed by an uncomfortable silence, he drops to his knees, hands clasped in forgiving prayer, Vilsack looks up to the sky as if searching for answers and/or divine intervention.)

I defy you, DLC!
I defy YOU!!!

(Vilsack stands up, rips off the mask, tosses it into the audience, and exits stage left. Moments later he donates the rest of his campaign war chest to Barak Obama’s bid for the White House.)