Word: phrasing
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Dates: during 2000-2000
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...SPINNING IS JUST A EUPHEMISM FOR LYING Ex-Clinton spokesman Mike McCurry once said the job of a press secretary was "telling the truth slowly." It's a lovely phrase, Mike, but untrue. Spinning is selling a version of events that you want others to believe rather than the version that you know to be true. In my book, that's lying. It's telling a journalist that, no, that incredibly lame answer the candidate gave in the debate about Social Security--to which you privately said to yourself, "Where the hell did that come from?"--was exactly what...
...Bush camp portrays the D.U.I. arrest as a piece of ancient history from his "irresponsible youth," according to his frequently used phrase. "I've oftentimes said that years ago I made some mistakes," Bush said after the arrest was revealed. He was 30 at the time of this mistake, but Bush campaign spokeswoman Karen Hughes pointed out that it occurred before he was married and had children. The campaign also noted that it came long before he became a born-again Christian and gave up alcohol. While many voters may be forgiving of such an old incident, the offense...
That's it, boys - bring on the lawyers. Let them descend from the hills after the battle (in the late Murray Kempton's phrase) in order to shoot the wounded...
...dealership, no less. Not to sound like Doris Kearns Goodwin here, but voting should take place in schools, in courthouses, settings that call to mind our common bond and the idea of aspiring to a better future. Places that call to mind the Pledge of Allegiance, not the phrase, "You're gonna want to get the full undercoating package on that, right...
...Meanwhile, over at CNN, you have to wonder if the first cable news network hasn't finally become the new PBS, and not in a good way. (Let's assume for the sake of argument it's possible for that phrase to be taken in a good way.) Thoroughness, yes. Crack, thoughtful analysts and reporters, sure. But CNN's coverage tonight lacks any sense of excitement and urgency. Bill Schneider, Bernard Shaw, Judy Woodruff and Jeff Greenfield, spread out along a giant desk, come across at times like four strangers laconically chatting while waiting for a bus. And though...