word choice

Anderson Cooper Dubs Hosni Mubarak A Liar. Why Can’t We Say The Same About American Politicos?

After totally calling out Hosni Mubarak as a “dictator” the other day, Anderson Cooper is still calling it as he sees it: that the Egyptian president is just telling “lies” at this point. With word that Mubarak has left Cairo and that he might actually be giving up power, we’re seeing a fundamental shift in the way Cooper & Co. are reporting the news: honestly. “It’s all lies,” says Cooper of Mubarak’s statements (like the one where he says protesters are being paid by foreign interests to show up in Tahir Square). This is, frankly, amazing. And it reminds me that American journalists still refuse to use such words when describing American politicians. “Lies” become “misleading statements,” a half-assed way of phrasing what plenty of Republicans (and Democrats) are involved in every day. POLITICIANS LIE. PEOPLE IN POWER LIE. They act in the opposite way they say they will. They make public statements but do the reverse in private. “Liar” is a very strong word. It’s also a very accurate one. Let’s start using it more.

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