*UPDATED* tucker carlson and his unfortunate tweet
UPDATE: March 1, 2011
A few minutes ago, Mr. Carlson apologized for his language last night. Via Twitter:
At this point, there’s not much more to say, except - Thank you, Mr. Carlson! I’m happy that this episode has ended on a positive - and mature - note.
- tdc
Generally speaking, I have nothing against Tucker Carlson.
He founded the Daily Caller website, which I read regularly, and seems to be a pretty good political analyst. That said, I was pretty shocked to see a tweet from him this evening in which he used the term “MILF” (if you don’t know what it is, Google it) in reference to Governor Sarah Palin.
The story Carlson was referencing was a CNN write-up about the former governor’s poll numbers in Iowa. It was all perfectly fine until you got to the end of Mr. Carlson’s tweet and saw the word “Milfistan”. The original tweet has been deleted, but I managed a screen cap of a couple of retweets and responses (the second one is my own):
I assume he was trying to be funny, but it just ended up being rude.
Using that unfortunate term about any woman is simply tasteless, and I would expect more from someone like Tucker Carlson. I’m not calling for him to make some grand apology to Governor Palin, or the Twitterverse, for that matter. But, since the original tweet was deleted, someone must have clued him in.
Thus, it would be nice if he acknowledged his lack of judgment in referencing a word that only boys - not men - find appropriate (or, in Opposite Land, somehow complementary).
More importantly, the reason I am even bothering to write this post is to call attention to the fact that we should all be mindful of the language we use. Hyper-sensitivity is never a good thing, but when someone like Governor Palin (or Michele Bachmann) has been routinely objectified as a means of diminishing her political and governing skills, it’s important to speak up and point out what a slippery slope we’re on.
If you *must* use locker room language, save it for the locker room. Don’t display your inner-most Neanderthal to your 23,000+ Twitter followers - some of whom will take the opportunity to offer their own crass retort. Surely, we can expect more from you, Mr. Carlson - can’t we?
- tdc
When you try to waffle and be all things to all people, you can end up being nothing to anybody…you can have your big tent and your principles at the same time, but only if you took the trouble to make your case to the public in plain English.
Thomas Sowell, Are Republicans “Due”: Part IV - (via Townhall.com)
As usual, Thomas Sowell makes a salient point, highlighting the importance of principled - rather than convenient - politics. Historically, the most extraordinary leaders have an uncanny ability to reach the minds and hearts of their people through effective communication.
Inspiring leaders don’t simply give speech, they relay a message that is relevant, specific, and, yes, plain.
- tdc
*Archive tdc post - plain language defined: see palin, sarah
plain language defined: see palin, sarah
Clarity cannot be legislated, just like common sense cannot be taught.
-Alan Siegal, Siegal+Gale
On October 30th, the branding firm Siegal+Gale sponsored a symposium for the Center for Plain Language* (who knew there was such a place?!) in Washington, DC.
The event was titled Achieving Transparency Through Plain Language and was aimed at discussing “plain language initiatives in government, and clarity and transparency in financial communications.”** In their summary of the event, Siegal+Gale mentions the Plain Language Act of 2009, which, as of this writing, has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. When reading this, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of a Representative having to introduce a bill requiring government agencies to communicate in a coherent fashion with its “audience”.
Presumably, that means us.
How far we have come from the days of our Founding Fathers and the four pages of parchment that are the original United States Constitution. That brief document is the foundation of our government and the very existence of our country. Yet, in terms of heft, it is dwarfed by the documents that regularly make their way through Congress these days (i.e. the recently-passed health care bill weighing in at nearly twenty pounds and two thousand pages).
Who are these people and what are they thinking?! No wonder many of us are rejecting whatever it is that comes out of the halls of Congress, and the White House. Fortunately, the antidote for our predicament appears to be Governor Sarah Palin.
Even when dealing with complex issues like healthcare, energy policy, or state budgets, Governor Palin’s language exhibits a clarity of thought that leaves no doubt about her message. As a result, those of us listening to, or reading her words spend less time parsing her words, and more time absorbing them. There is a reason she is often referred to as a charismatic “every-woman”: She uses language like most of us do when we want to be understood by the person on the other end of our message.
Perhaps that is the problem.
If our representatives in Washington, D.C. truly wished to communicate with the People, they would spend less time legislating the process, and more time, say, studying Governor Palin’s Facebook page. The thousands of responses she elicits - from supporters, detractors, and the media alike - are proof of the power of her messaging, and her ability to reach her audience.
Too often, though, our government leadership attempts to use complicated language as way to separate themselves from the very people they purport to represent. Their goal is not so much communication as obfuscation (see previous reference to the healthcare bill), and they have become quite adept in achieving the latter.
Thankfully, Governor Palin does not subscribe to this philosophy and she uses her considerable voice to add clarity to national debates. For those of us seeking more common sense from our government, and less legislation, her concise messaging has become a welcome reprieve from the linguistic clutter we have come to expect from our politicians.
- tdc
*The Center for Plain Language website is here
**The Siegal+Gale write-up about the symposium is here
Photo credit: alaskacommons.wordpress.com
Comments?
governor palin: common sense in hong kong
**Post originally appeared on Palin Twibe Blog on September 23, 2009**
As most of us are aware, Governor Sarah Palin gave what was considered, by all accounts, a thoughtful, wide-ranging, and effective speech in Hong Kong a few hours ago. Though the event (an investors forum sponsored by CLSA) was closed to the media, a few snippets managed to escape into the online world thanks to a few tech-savvy attendees (see the New York Times’ round up here). Personally, I followed the play-by-play on Twitter (via @cellomonkey and @casinclair) and from what I saw, Governor Palin - again - set herself apart as the People’s Politician.
The Governor’s common sense approach to life and the issues we face - collectively and individually - is one that effectively speaks to us regular folk across the globe. Not only did Governor Palin applaud the wonders of American ingenuity (regarding Facebook: “…it shows we still got it!”), she also looked hopefully toward a “China that is stable and peaceful and prosperous.” At the same time, Governor Palin noted the realities of global conditions, be it the human rights oppressions in China or the continued threats of terror rooted in Afghanistan, and spoke to the need for the world’s vigilance and attention.
In short, Governor Palin addressed the complexities of the world in a way that most of us speak of the complexities of daily life: We want to appreciate and nurture the best aspects as we take steps to correct those that need correcting. This is one of the reasons that the Governor is such a powerful force in the political discourse of our time.
Governor Palin understands that we live in an exceptional country. One that is blessed with a diversity of talent (and the freedom to explore it) that leads to innovative and creative advances in every imaginable field. It is also true, however, that we have serious challenges to address, and Governor Palin knows that successful solutions will have their genesis locally - in our families and with our hometown elected officials. She doesn’t have all the answers. And the fact that she embraces this fact is further evidence of her Main Street credentials.
The Hong Kong speech was a good beginning for Governor Palin. It was an appearance on the world stage that occurred on her own terms, and in her own words, and I look forward to hearing more from her over the next few months. As more people have the opportunity to connect with the Sarah Palin many of us came to admire in the fall of 2008, I have little doubt that those who are truly open to finding out who she is and what she believes will come to respect the woman they may have previously dismissed.
- tdc
