Words

I know this is so last week, but I'm just now expressing how flabbergasted and appalled I am that Joe Lieberman would actually use the word "jihad" in describing anyone American, and especially law-abiding, grassroots activists in his own party. It should be clear by now that the term "jihad" has a very particular meaning, and is a very inflammatory point of reference, probably second only to the word "terrorist". People who commit or engage in jihad do things like fly airplanes into skyscrapers, killing thousands of innocent civilians in the planes, in the buildings, and on the ground. I've tried to defend Holy Joe, as his critics refer to him, but this remark is just way over the line. Anyone know if Lieberman has apologized for this?

Meanwhile, George Will this morning played some word games, too:

New Jersey voters may just shrug, so inured are they to politics that have produced more than 75 corruption indictments in the past five years. But what is called Menendez's "baggage" muddies the message as Democrats run against Washington's supposed "culture of corruption."

Supposed culture of corruption? Supposed? One congressman from the current session is in jail, another who was indicted has finally resigned. A chief White House aid was also indicted and is facing perjury charges. Another former agency official has been convicted of influence peddling while the ruling regime's uber lobbyist has pled guilty to various fund-raising and bribery scams. The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee is under investigation. And just to show how bipartisan I am, another member of Congress was taped taking $90,000 in bribes from an under-cover agent. Supposed culture of corruption?

What does a corrupt Washington, D.C. official or legislator have to do these days to be recognized?