Patterico's Pontifications

5/25/2010

ABC’s Jake Tapper bans “Obamacare” from his blog

Filed under: General — Karl @ 8:25 pm



[Posted by Karl]

For a guy from Salon, Jake Tapper has struck me as someone who has been very conscientious as the White House correspondent for ABC News. He usually is trying to be a watchdog, even when his colleagues are content to be lapdogs. That does not make the story coming from his Twitter feed tonight any less odd. That story starts here:

Sebelius Defends Obamacare, Files First Response to State Challenge, from @ArianedeVogue > http://migre.me/IpKBless than a minute ago via UberTwitter


However, if you look at the story now, it’s headlined: “Sebelius Defends Health Care Reform Law, Files First Response to State Challenge.”

Why?

Some liberal tweeps objecting to use of term “Obamacare” by contributor to my blog. No offense was intended by her, but we will change.less than a minute ago via UberTwitter


Others, including Allahpundit and the Daily Caller’s Jim Treacher, questioned the change, earning this response:

@allahpundit @jtlol I try to be respectful to both sides. Some find that term pejorative. End of story. Take it up with the WH + Dems.less than a minute ago via UberTwitter


The shift from “liberal tweeps” to “WH + Dems” is, er, interesting — but I think that if Tapper had been leaned on about this by the White House, he would be writing a post about it, rather than caving into the complaints.

Rather, I am rather baffled that liberals are complaining about calling the new law “Obamacare.” First off:

How can it be a pejorative if OBAMA’S PROUD OF THE BILL?less than a minute ago via Seesmic


Indeed. Are liberals thinking that our totally awesome president is being tarred by association with the legislation he insisted on ramming through Congress? Or are they thinking that the most high-minded, right-thinking, socially progressive, impressively pragmatic piece of legislation to pass Congress in decades is being tarred by an association with the most high-minded, right-thinking, socially progressive, impressively pragmatic presidient evah? Neither of those positions makes much sense, which may be why the term “Obamacare” has never seemed to bother… the HuffPo. What term will Tapper scrub next? The “Bush tax cuts”?

Update:

@DrewMTips @justkarl Since “reform” defined indicates improvement, can we object to the use of the term “Health Care Reform”?less than a minute ago via Seesmic

–Karl

87 Responses to “ABC’s Jake Tapper bans “Obamacare” from his blog”

  1. who cares? he’s part of the MFM, and therefore, irrelevant.

    he’s likely just bucking for a set of White House knee pads for his “love me” wall….

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  2. Hmmm. “HillaryCare” used to be the phrase. Did the Left….oh, I get it.

    Thin-skinned, is POTUS.

    Eric Blair (6665b2)

  3. What is with people banning WORDS?
    Like doing so changes the fundamental truth behind them?

    I despise anyone who censors speech unless it is advocating violence or vulgar/obscene.

    Otherwise counter bs or lies with truth or facts don’t ban the freakin’ WORDS.

    jakee308 (aec1b8)

  4. I am embarrassed for Tapper. He’s going to take a lot of heat and ridicule for this I had considered him about the best of the bunch of the network WH reporters, and he has maintained an interesting, spirited and somewhat irreverent blog (for example his “Oh that Joe” regular feature) and some of the potshots he takes at Gibbsy). Things must really be heating up in DC., or else Obama is concerned enough that Obamacare will be overturned or repealed that he doesn’t want his name forever associated with it.

    But we can still call it Pelosicare, can’t we? She still seems to be pretty proud of it.

    elissa (f72150)

  5. Maybe folks should plan a “Everyone Post on ObamaCare Day”, even I’d go for that one.

    MD in Philly (cb8efe)

  6. Let the distancing begin…
    Knowing full well that repeal is likely after November, the attempt to re-brand has begun. Surprised/disappointed that Tapper would be a pawn in this, he always seemed like a good guy.

    gazzer (7c0559)

  7. As Karl mentions, Tapper has been fairly even-handed over the last year or so (I thought that early in Obama’s term Tapper was way too deferential to the WH). Obviously he has come under fire from the WH, the Dems in Congress, and, most likely, his media colleagues, so he is back on the reservation for the time being.

    JVW (36eb17)

  8. Didn’t the O hand out a lot of favors, pork, etc., to get Obamacare through? Cornhusker kickback; Louisiana purchase; whatever.

    Arizona Bob (e8af2b)

  9. no. those lies were spread by the Rethuglican controlled media.

    this is the most ethical Congress and regime ever!1!eleventy!!1!

    i'mwd-40 (fb8750)

  10. Jake is on our side folks.

    He consistently asks questions of Gibbs other reporters refuse to ask. He led the questioning last November when it appeared the White House was trying to isolate Fox News.

    I have to believe someone higher up on the food chain at ABC/Disney is behind this.

    Corky Boyd (1bbfd4)

  11. FWIW, I do take Tapper’s explanation at face value. I don’t think he was pressured. I presume that the argument for it being pejorative is that it is a term originating with critics of the law. That’s why the “HuffPo” link is important — to show that claim doesn’t hold up, either. It’s also why the Update, for all its humor, is included — abandoning shorthand doesn’t solve the problem of neutrality here.

    Karl (5f0050)

  12. I refuse to take seriously anything that anyone “tweets.”

    Beldar (3c8f3f)

  13. Apparently it is the equivalent of appending “-gate” to any word identifying a scandal.

    There’s an idea . . . let’s just label his entire term “OBAMAGATE” and be done with it.

    Icy Texan (380c78)

  14. Should we have been upset by “Reaganomics“?

    cns (e7ede3)

  15. that was different: everyone knows that Regan was a terrible President.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  16. That’s a good point, cns. If they’re so proud of it, and so sure that it is going to work, why should they care how it is labeled?

    Icy Texan (380c78)

  17. Comment by redc1c4 — 5/26/2010 @ 12:13 am

    Yeah, Don Regan was a terrible President(ial Chief of Staff).

    AD - RtR/OS! (bd3d6c)

  18. Whack!

    just for that, you have to ‘splain your handle.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  19. I banned the liberal Tapper. Obamacare is just a pejorative to the The jug eared One, after it has all turned bad. Free Speech is what the one can’t handle, no two bit tin-pot wanna bee can.

    Obama-Speak, the fusion of sophistry and Newspeak. Some see it as a gift, but most see it for what it is, just lies.

    bill-tb (541ea9)

  20. –the equivalent of appending “-gate” to any word identifying a scandal–

    Oh, you mean like Sestak-gate?

    elissa (9c60ef)

  21. Who was who asked: “Mere words?”

    DavidL (2a854d)

  22. You are all getting me angry. You won’t
    like me when I’m angry.

    Barak Obama (e383ed)

  23. Deepwater Horizongate?

    daleyrocks (1d0d98)

  24. Well….i think Patterico the Honest Man will admit, that when HCR was being demogogued as “Obamacare” the prez was taking a deliberate hands off approach to it, and letting congress do the sausage making. Obama didn’t want to repeat Clinton’s mistake of overinvolvement with “Hilarycare”
    So from a journalist perspective, Obamacare simply isn’t accurate.
    Pelosi did most of the cat herding to get it passed, and Scott Brown was the most useful gift…..his election forced the dems to get serious and cowboy up.
    It would be more accurate to call HCR– Scott Brown HCR.

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  25. wheeler’s cat,

    So the only reason that someone might disagree with the way you characterize it is because they’re dishonest? No wonder nobody respects you.

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  26. Wheeler’s cat, who prattled on about how the Times Square bomber wasn’t Islamic, is now lecturing us on honesty.

    Some chump (3acec1)

  27. You know, Karl….i think you are just wasting time with this weeping and teeth gnashing.
    You screwed up 50 years ago when conservatives went for boutique libertarianism and the southern strategy instead classical liberalism and national appeal.
    This game is over…..it ended when we elected a black president 356 ec votes to 173. You arent getting “your” country back…..its our country now.
    You should be setting up the board for the new game.

    and ill preempt all the incoming adhom and invective…im just the last of the american girls and a a white flag warrior.
    😉

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  28. Wheeler’s/nishi is off her meds again. This has long since become cyclical and predictable.

    Not only that, some chump, but she claimed it was a teabagger, and when it turned out not to be, she fled.

    JD (2855f9)

  29. I mean Browncare, of course!
    lawl.

    Karl, I just cant quit you.
    <3

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  30. a lot of ppl totally thot the teabagger thing was logical…..think about it….SUV, gunlocker, and too stupid to build a bomb.
    screams teabagger.
    my bad.
    🙂

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  31. Obamacare–“please don’t use that word anymore”

    When my dog makes a mess on my carpet, she tends to run away from it–doesn’t want to be caught near it.

    Reminds me of the Dems and Obamacare. Who us?
    We left that smelly mess on the carpet? We weren’t even in the room!

    Well, my dog thinks it works–but I’m not fooled.

    Mike Myers (3c9845)

  32. wheeler’s cat,

    You do know that Obama used the term “Obamacare” during his Potemkin summit with the GOP, yes? And the Kos Kids, as well as the multiple usages I already linked from the HuffPo. Folks on the left used the term a lot. They’re getting nervous about the association after it passed.

    Karl (5f0050)

  33. nah…..u wrong Karl.
    last summer the weimar rallies townhalls were the first place that used Obamacare.
    membah Mr. deMint?
    like i said, you already lost.
    you have lost control of culture.
    n/e ways, you shouldn’t believe in rasmussen statistics.

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  34. This is obama’s psuedo reporter. Dirty history and dirty player…..I’d watch him, he is corrupt and useful to the left.

    J (2946f2)

  35. J, you totally don’t get it.
    the New Media mostly operates as fight-promoters, not journalists.
    they just want a good fight because that sells.
    sadly, they have to give “conservatives” welfare epics or they can’t play.
    🙂

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  36. Maybe they should pick up the terminology of the Vice President and call it F**kingAwesomeCare.

    Socratease (27ecdd)

  37. And just think, without the “New Media” we might have missed Biden’s insightful commentary.

    MD in Philly (cb8efe)

  38. If you hear “Obamacare” it is usually a sign that you’re getting propaganda, given the pedigree of the bill.

    pizzathehut (39ddbc)

  39. nice of wheeler’s cat to come buy and try to bury the sh1t that is Obamacare…..

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  40. Comment by redc1c4 — 5/26/2010 @ 12:42 am

    AD – RtR/OS!
    AD…Another Drew (when I first came to this site, there was already a “Drew” posting);
    RtR…Restore the Republic;
    OS!…Obama Sucks!(inspired by our host during the ’08 primaries).

    AD - RtR/OS! (39b1d4)

  41. We have the term “dhimmitude” to denote subservience to Islam. We need a term to denote subservience to all that is Obama. “Obamaitude” or, perhaps, “mainstreammediaitude”?

    Zoltan (aa0da2)

  42. I think the phrase you’re looking for is:
    Bendoverandtakit!

    AD - RtR/OS! (39b1d4)

  43. Zoltan – It does not refer specifically to Obama but whenever I hear him or another Dem start talking I am reminded of the military acronym BOHICA.
    (Bend Over – Here It Comes Again)

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  44. AD – RtR/OS!
    AD…Another Drew (when I first came to this site, there was already a “Drew” posting);
    RtR…Restore the Republic;
    OS!…Obama Sucks!(inspired by our host during the ‘08 primaries).

    Comment by AD – RtR/OS

    We’ll be looking for updates, perhaps after the 10 elections.

    MD in Philly (cb8efe)

  45. “ObamaCare” is a more accurate description than “The Affordable Care Act”.

    Socratease (02c2d9)

  46. Re: #21, Comment by elissa — 5/26/2010 @ 4:26 am

    “Oh, you mean like Sestak-gate?”

    That will do, of course, but it doesn’t roll off the tongue like Watergate, or Zippergate. How about considering other suggestions?

    Bribe-gate, Bribery-gate,
    Quid pro quo-gate,
    Specter-gate,
    Primary-gate.

    ropelight (9cdba2)

  47. > What is with people banning WORDS?
    Like doing so changes the fundamental truth behind them?

    jakee, this is a matter of Perpetual Indignance. By banning this word or that, the PI creates a defensive response in the speaker, which is then used to their benefit. This is one reason they can’t seem to settle on the word to refer to “they who used to be black”. “Negro”? Naw. Not any more. “Black”? Naw. Not any more? “Afro-American”? Naw.

    Of course, that means they’ve kind of run out of obvious terms, so they’re still kinda searching for the next one (but by no means has that stopped them from objecting at random…).

    It’s kind of like “Asian” being used to refer to Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and so forth. Because “The Orient” is such a repulsive term, and we can’t have people referred to as “Oriental” when they are descended from people from that area. Much better to use the term “Asian”, which is blatantly offensive to/dismissive of the 2 to 3 billion people NOT from the region of The Orient.

    The point is really to get you offguard and on the defensive. The secret is to guage the situation as much as possible for either ignoring them completely (best, because it pisses them off, which gives YOU the advantage) or telling them to in relatively polite but firm terms to f*** off.

    One must be careful of this approach in the workplace environment, however, where “PC” totally rules ATM.

    IgotBupkis (79d71d)

  48. Wheeler’s is in Day 2 of another one of its feedback loops, apparently. I saw these exact same links and memes elsewhere yesterday.

    JD (2855f9)

  49. JD,

    Indeed. And noting the wide usage of the term won’t deter the cat from repeating its memes again. Mind you, when the term was being coined, both the president and the bill were popular. But the rule appears to be that we must stop using terms whenever some faction of the Left gets hinky about them. And use the obviously biased term “reform” instead.

    Karl (f07e38)

  50. Karl – I prefer the usage of deform.

    JD (2855f9)

  51. Comment by Karl — 5/26/2010 @ 12:11 pm

    Please, Karl;
    it is “Comprehensive Health-Care Reform!”

    AD - RtR/OS! (39b1d4)

  52. it should be Browncare….scott brown caused it to pass, and you certainly believe it benefits the darkskinned more than real ‘murricans, Karl.

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  53. here is a new one!
    America Speaks Out.
    these can’t be real.
    almost as fun as the UD.

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  54. bribery made it pass and we’re smart enough to recognize the unpleasant fact that it won’t benefit anyone, inside the US or out.

    it should be called what it is: “The Utter Bullsh1t Act of 2010”

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  55. and you certainly believe it benefits the darkskinned more than real ‘murricans, Karl.
    Comment by wheeler’s cat — 5/26/2010 @ 12:40 pm

    wheeler’s cat, you need to apologize to Karl and next time you call someone a racist, or even imply it, you’ll be in moderation until Patterico or DRJ releases you. Your nonsense is easy to refute, so feel free to continue without the racist BS.

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  56. Oh look! The curious kitten has clawed its way into a packet of race cards, and wants to play with them.

    Bad kitty!!!

    Icy Texan (97878b)

  57. In #28, kitty litter wrote: “ill preempt all the incoming adhom”, following it with #31: “a lot of ppl totally thot the teabagger thing was logical…..think about it….SUV, gunlocker, and too stupid to build a bomb.
    screams teabagger.
    my bad”

    — Feel free to start practicing what you are preaching at any time.

    Icy Texan (97878b)

  58. Karl, one small objection. The bill was never “popular” with the public, only the Democrats. The concept, early on, was popular as it is popular with me. I have a definite outline of what I consider reform. It has nothing to do with Obamacare, though.

    Mike K (67e8ce)

  59. lawl, why do i need to apolo for telling the truth?

    [All future comments from you will go into moderation until Patterico or DRJ releases them or removes you from moderation. I won’t be releasing anything of yours until you apologize to Karl. –Stashiu]

    wheeler's cat (ed4ec5)

  60. scott brown caused it to pass, and you certainly believe it benefits the darkskinned more than real ‘murricans, Karl.

    In the mind of the left, everything is part of a racial struggle. People on the right are too slow to wake up to this, prefering to talk the language of economics. But that completely misses where the left are coming from. You might as well have tried to argue to the Nazis that war was an economic loser.

    Subotai (6526fc)

  61. you’re confusing your “pravda” with truth in reality. it’s a common failing with talking point trolls like yourself.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  62. So, stereotyping now equals truth telling? Well then, I guess we must indeed be bitter & clingy.

    Myself, I cling to a strong sense of pragmatism, but then I always was a rebel at heart.

    Icy Texan (97878b)

  63. nishi is in moderation until further notice.

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  64. wheeler’s links are not exactly super confident.

    I don’t think it’s sporting to rag on someone in moderation, but I hope the democrats are seriously dismissing Rasmussen’s polling. I really love the framing here. “Obamacare” is offensive, because the actual bill is so ghastly it’s wrong to associate it with the person behind it.

    But it’s OK to use the term “teabaggers” or even the Marxist originated term ‘capitalism’. Why, because Wheeler is sure he’s ‘won’ the culture war.

    Why would wheeler claim that war is over and in past tense? Because he is in denial that the culture war is raging today and largely rejecting much of what wheeler thinks is settled.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  65. “teabaggers” was originally co-opted by the organization itself. It was only after they realized what a stupid idiotic mistake that was, that they started complaining about people using that term. “Obamacare” is not an accurate depiction of anything. It doesn’t describe what it purports to describe, and it really doesn’t add anything to the preexisting stereotype. It could easily be avoided by using other, more accurate and precise terms. It conveys a negative slant, and basically is just taking a cheap shot at the legislation through a form of name calling. On second thought, I see why that term is popular here.

    Chris Hooten (977a67)

  66. Wheeler’s Hairball never fails at showing up every few weeks and coughing up one of it’s patented memes.

    Dmac (3d61d9)

  67. Yes, nishi and CH seem to be joined at the lip.

    AD - RtR/OS! (39b1d4)

  68. i wonder if Chris has any facts to support his hypothesis or is it as sound as “global warming”?

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  69. —It could easily be avoided by using other, more accurate and precise terms. It conveys a negative slant—

    There are some rather creative people who post here, Chris. If you are really asking us to come up with “accurate and precise terms” to identify Obamacare I am willing to bet we can oblige. No guarantee that there will not be a negative slant, though.

    elissa (9c60ef)

  70. “Obamacare” is not an accurate depiction of anything.

    It’s a form of nomenclature, we can use it to describe anything we so desire, brainiac.

    It doesn’t describe what it purports to describe, and it really doesn’t add anything to the preexisting stereotype.

    OK, so please tell us what you think it’s meant to describe, since you’reso certain of what it doesn’t describe.

    Better yet, please take a course in semantics and get back to us.

    Dmac (3d61d9)

  71. “Obamacare” is not an accurate depiction of anything. It doesn’t describe what it purports to describe, and it really doesn’t add anything to the preexisting stereotype. It could easily be avoided by using other, more accurate and precise terms. It conveys a negative slant, and basically is just taking a cheap shot at the legislation through a form of name calling.

    A “negative slant”? If Obama is popular, and “health care reform” is popular, why object to the two words being associated with each other?

    There’s the rub. It’s belatedly dawning on the left that healthcare reform is unpoular, and that Obama is becoming more unpopular by being associated with it.

    Subotai (6526fc)

  72. “teabaggers” was originally co-opted by the organization itself. It was only after they realized what a stupid idiotic mistake that was, that they started complaining about people using that term.

    Who programmed you to write that?

    Subotai (6526fc)

  73. Chris is SOL, since any “accurate” description of Ear Leader and his programs is bound to sound “negative” to him…

    the truth really does hurt. 😀

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  74. The truly funny thing about Nishi is her nod to quantum mechanics. Sounds like Stash collapsed the wave function, and she is gone. Good deal. I detest people who use charges of racism in their politics. It helps out genuine racists, by weakening the definition.

    Eric Blair (337103)

  75. But…we’re a post – racial society now, Eric.

    Dmac (3d61d9)

  76. Maybe WC got confused, thinking that “post racial” was a command of what to do — as opposed to a mindset of how to think.

    Icy Texan (d2b0bb)

  77. Tapper has done very admirable work as a WH correspondent. But the fact is he’s still an elitist journalist prick who can dish it out but can’t take it. This isn’t the first time he’s let his ego get in the way of fairness.

    CrustyB (2fb454)

  78. Many of the same people who object to using the phrase Obamacare because the believe it is a pejorative term have absolutely no problem derisively using a homosexual slur like Teabagger to describe members of the Tea Party movement.

    Kinda odd.

    I wonder if Jake Tapper has ever blogged or tweeted about TeaBaggers?

    Scott (55e4bb)

  79. homosexual slur? What are you talking about? Since when? It is a mildly offensive sexual position. I always pictured a man and a woman, but whatever floats your boat, Scott.

    Chris Hooten (a7437f)

  80. Common usage, Hooten. It is most often used in reference to gay male sex; therefore, it’s usage slurs Tea Partiers.

    Icy Texan (6d8c35)

  81. I’m no homo expert, but I don’t see that common usage. I believe you are mistaken. There is nothing inherently “homosexual” about the sexual act of teabagging. I can’t understand how someone would make that connection, it’s silly. Maybe you are attempting to make the term more offensive than it is by associating it with gays? BTW would a gay tea partier be slurred by the term?

    I am pretty sure that context could clear up any confusion about the usage of “teabagging.” I can understand why people would not want the term used, however, especially when “tea-partiers” works just as well.

    Chris Hooten (a7437f)

  82. “I’m no homo expert…”

    There, FTFY Chrissie.

    AD - RtR/OS! (fce032)

  83. Well at least you didn’t cross out the “no.” 🙂

    Chris Hooten (a7437f)

  84. I don’t like “Obamacare” either, but only because Bambi had basically squat to do with the thing, other than stand around and look intense.

    Frank Drebbin (8096f2)

  85. I don’t like “Obamacare” either, but only because Bambi had basically squat to do with the thing, other than to give a couple of hundred speeches, demagogue the crap out of insurance companies and doctors, draft his own compromise bill, and stand around and look intense.

    FTFY Frank

    daleyrocks (1d0d98)

  86. Hello, your blog is really great.

    maxene (195e0a)


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