Word "Brexit" deemed key to victory as U.S. politicos comment

AROUND THE BLOCK

News with a Twist

BREXIT victory results in Remain soul searching

Not having a slogan deemed strategic error

In the aftermath of the stunning results of the vote in the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, Britons on the remain in the EU side were licking their wounds and undertaking a serious post-mortem.

“Clearly, the BREXIT forces were more clever than us,” said a Nigel Oliver-Simon spokesman for British Prime Minister David Cameron, referring to the phrase that signified British exit from the Union. “I mean ‘BREXIT.’ Short, telegraphic, easily recognizable. We had nothing to match it.”

The use of this easily identifiable slogan took on additional importance in the days following the vote when it was revealed that the second most “Googled” term in the UK was “What is the EU?” suggesting that voters had no idea what they were voting for but simply were intrigued by the word, “BREXIT.”

Mr. Oliver-Simon did say that there was consideration of a catchphrase for their side. 

“We seriously considered calling our campaign ‘BREMAIN’ for ‘Britain Remain’ but there was a big debate regarding how to pronounce the word. Some people felt it should be pronounced ‘Breeee-main’ (as in brie, the French cheese) while others wanted it pronounced ‘Breh-main’ (as in Breman, the German city). But the issue of using a phrase that sounded vaguely French or German was a problem and at the end of the day we couldn’t come to a consensus. That was a crucial mistake.”

In any event reaction to the vote in the U.S. was sure to impact the upcoming presidential race as key figures went public with statements.

President Obama, in a thoughtful statement regarding U.S. relations with the key stakeholders impacted by the vote said, “The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision.” He pledged that the U.K. and the E.U. would remain “indispensable partners of the United States” and that Britain’s “special relationship” with the United States would endure.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, looking to the future and the impact of the vote on the American people said, “We respect the choice the people of the United Kingdom have made. Our first task has to be to make sure that the economic uncertainty created by these events does not hurt working families here in America.”

And presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump, immediately turned the BREXIT vote to a discussion about himself by saying, “I said this was going to happen, and I think that it’s a great thing.” Mr. Trump did not say why he thought, “that it’s a great thing.”

Further to the Trump statement however, rumors coming out of the Trump campaign suggest that win or lose the presidential race, Trump Productions is working on the details of a new reality TV show, starring Mr. Trump, which will be called “Donald J. Trump: I Said This Was Going to Happen” in which contestants will have to determine which breaking news events were predicted by Mr. Trump. According to sources, at the end of the season, the winning contestant will become the editor in chief of a new Trump predictive newspaper, “Trump’s Future News You Can Use.”