the kicker

Word Association

March 23, 2009

If I told you that the word “flaccid” appeared yesterday on the New York Times op-ed page under one of regular columnists’ bylines, your first guess as to which columnist would be…

You are correct. (Too easy?)

But if you get your MoDo online, you missed this pull-quote (or pull-paraphrase, really, since the quote itself can’t actually be found in the body of the column):

Can’t Michelle join Obama’s flaccid economic team?

I mean, you still got the gist of it:

The tableau of Michelle Obama hoisting a pitchfork on Friday with her sinewy arms…

Sign up for CJR's daily email

Again with the arms?

… and warning that the commander in chief would be commandeered into yard work left me wondering if the wrong Obama is in the Oval.

It’s a time in America’s history where we need less smooth jazz and more martial brass…

Liz Cox Barrett is a writer at CJR.