Alternative words and decoding political language
Each political season brings with it a common vocabulary used by pundits, politicians and journalists to describe the drama unfolding before them. This year, whether it’s the hoped-for presidential “pivot” or the “narrative of alternative facts” offered by the White House, it’s useful to keep track of this shared terminology. Following, I offer my own guide to decoding word usage during the first months of the Trump administration.
Brand. Journalists have avoided terms such as branding, eschewing use of the everyday jargon of public relations or advertising practitioners. But during the 2016 election, journalists often commented on how candidates’ words affected their brands as perceived by the public. Of course, a brand is supposed to represent a claimed value — what a person or a product stands for — so I can understand why journalists need to keep analyzing something so elusive and evolving.
Bright shiny thing. Donald Trump is a master at issuing the provocative statement to distract us from reality. Trump’s tweet, accusing former President Barack Obama of illegal wiretapping, was a bright shiny object, cranked up and let loose in the hope that reporters would follow its glow and fail to notice actual problems tarnishing the administration.
Drip, drip, drip. Commentators have used these words to describe the steady dollops of bad news emanating from the faucets of power in the White House. Now we watch to see if the drips become gushers, and a new phrase will have to emerge.
Hair-on-fire. Journalists have cited this pithy phrase to describe the emotional state of White House officials as each new embarrassment comes to light.
Narrative. We know this to mean a story — an account of events or actions — but in the political world it more often refers to a story with a point of view. Certainly the narrative of congressmanelect Greg Gianforte, accused of bodyslamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs, differed from that of the journalist himself. And Trump officials have redefined narrative by adding “alternative facts” to the conversation.
Optics. This term, relating to the eye or vision, also means the way something appears. Observers are keen to point out what appearances reveal about the values and habits of the officials under scrutiny. So, when Donald Trump failed to shake hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he appeared to be ignoring her or not paying enough attention to notice her offer of a handshake. Either way, it’s not a good optic for a president who needs to take women more seriously.
Pivot. Many of us have waited to see if Trump would pivot, or turn into, a person whose behavior is befitting that of a president. We are still waiting.
Tick-Tock. Pundits are using this phrase to refer to time progressing before revelations pop out like the cuckoo’s reminder that time is up.
Walking it back. This phrase, which means backing away from, or softening, a previously expressed point of view, is likely to become more common as officials weigh constituent reactions and attempt to retreat to a safer stance.
No matter what the brand, narrative, optics or pivots of the Trump administration, the drip, drip, drip of bad news will continue to cause hair-on-fire reactions over revealed wrongdoing that simply cannot be walked back. And then maybe we’ll start to move forward. Tick-tock.