BY B. JAY COOPER
Reprinted from apcoworldwide.com

One might say that the Etch-a-Sketch is the perfect metaphor for the Republican primary season. One day, Mitt Romney is featured on the screen; the next (shake-a, shake-a) Rick Santorum appears! Shake-a, shake-a, ba da bing – Mitt’s back!! Shake-a, shake-a…well, you get the idea.

Romney’s campaign guy, Eric Fernstrom, mucked up with his comment. It happens in a campaign. And in a campaign marred by a few of these kinds of comments (see: Mitt Romney, more than a few times, so far), Fernstrom’s comment becomes an even bigger “story” because the media’s “narrative” of Romney’s campaign is they say dumb things at dumb times and Mitt’s a chameleon. His slip up becomes a “gotcha” – well, if you buy the “narrative.”

C’mon, guys. Let’s stop with the “narratives” that the media creates and then fosters throughout (see: Dan Quayle’s spelling of “potato” some years ago which forever made him “dumb.” Trust me, dumb he was not.)

I’m not sure when the word “narrative” was born into the political lexicon, but I’d like to delete it, because I think it’s, well, hmmm…how do I put this…oh yeah…DUMB.

There is no narrative. There is life. And, as they say, Life Happens (as does other stuff). So, let’s let the campaigns play out their lives.

By the way, if I could concoct a narrative for my life, it would include tropical breezes, good health for everyone, and my own golf course – but it seems I don’t get to concoct my own narrative. Neither does the media.

Editors Note: B. Jay Cooper is deputy managing director of the Washington, D.C., office of APCO Worldwide. He served as deputy press secretary to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, as director of communications at the Republican National Committee for four chairmen, and as director of public affairs at the Department of Commerce.