Word Games

Wednesday, July 30, 2008
From the New York Times Caucus blog:

"The ad, titled "Celeb," questions Mr. Obama's readiness to lead as well as his position of offshore drilling (he is opposed, while Mr. McCain supports offshore oil exploration)."


There's an interesting political word-play going on here. Supporters of drilling for oil offshore call it "exploration," presuambly because it sounds non-invasive. "Drilling" is what opponents call it, and it is also what it is.
It's bizarre to me that the Times chose to use both, because it sounds like what Obama is opposed to ("offshore drilling") is different than what McCain supports ("offshore oil exploration"). Interestingly, the ad in question--which is a McCain ad--uses the phrase "offshore drilling."

It'd be hard to say "Ooh! Look! Bias!" since they use both parties' catch phrases. It's more like "ooh! look! confusion!." They bought into both sides of the rhetoric at once. Which, if you think about it, is a gargantuan attempt at non-bias gone wrong.

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Written Pyramids is a blog written by a journalist living and working in Washington D.C.

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