Funny stuff happens when you're running for office. Lots can change about people. How much sleep they get, who they spend time with...even their names.
We knew the former Mayor of Stamford as Dan Malloy. It's what we called him during 14 years leading that city. It's what we called him during his first campaign for governor, when he lost the primary to John "Johnny Boy" DeStefano. And, it's what we called him when he beat Tom "T-Dawg" Foley to become the 88th Governor of the State of Connecticut.
But only days after taking office in 2011, he made it clear to reporters: Refer to me by my full name, Dannel P. Malloy.
At that first gubernatorial press conference, he said this:
"My cards say Dannel. I insisted that we go back to my formal name, as opposed to Dan. I like Dannel. I'm hopeful that more people will spell it correctly in the future," he said. "I like the name that my mother gave me. She was fond of it. I've become attached to it."
Sometimes an uncommon name can stand out. But as he frequently finds, "Dannel" is easily mistaken for "Daniel" (And might also mean he's confused with this guy.)
Now that Malloy has - finally - announced what we knew all along, that he's running for re-election, fresh off his President Obama-endorsed charge toward a $10.10 state minimum wage, he's dropped the e, the l and the p.
His website DanMalloy2014 shows a man of the people, standing with the people. A man with a common name, Dan. We all know a Dan. Dan's a good guy.
Who's this Dannel?
