Anatomy of a Fox News Headline

[pepperbear]

1. The RNC is under fire, yet somehow RNC and DNC appear in the same sentence. We've seen that before.

2. "Trade charges" sounds like the DNC is simply accusing the RNC of wrongdoing, yet the story had already broken and had proven to be true by the time they went to air. No one is "trading charges." In fact, the RNC is currently under conservative scrutiny.

3. "Alleged nightclub romps": And here is where we hit pay dirt: If the only thing that had happened was a bunch of frat boys had a "nightclub romp" at their own expense, no one would care. The issue, of course, is who payed for it. By parsing it as a "romp", it diminishes the seriousness of the offense (faithful donor money spent so young republicans can jerk off). Notice how the real issue, the misuse of funds, never enters into it. They're banking on people to see it as yet another sexual impropriety, the kind we've become accustomed to.

Result? Major Republican hypocrisy avoided, an egregious betrayal of trust is reduced to an "alleged romp", and the DNC and RNC are seen as merely being at odds yet again.

Nothing to see here.

See how easy that was?

[Maru Kitteh]

1. fits right in with calling the militia terrorists "captured 'warriors'"

[Richard Steele]

2. K&R