November 2012
Geoffrey Pullum thinks we should consider the was/were thing a style issue—not a grammatical issue of right and wrong—because there’s no risk of misunderstanding, and because “was” is sometimes more appropriate.
People are quite right to choose [was] when trying not to sound inappropriately pompous. It is not an error to make that choice. Nagging at them only encourages the kind of anxiety that leads to hypercorrection.
The conventional wisdom was that winning independents was the key to victory, and Mitt Romney’s campaign made a point of convincing them to vote Republican.
And they did (vote Republican).
The only problem? Many of these so-called independents only recently self-identified as independents. Before that they typically told pollsters they were Republicans—because that’s what they really are.
To summarize: Mitt Romney won more Republicans who won’t admit to themselves and/or pollsters that they are Republicans.
(I suppose you could call them INOs. Independents in name only.)
Which means Mitt didn’t really win the independent vote after all.
If Republicans Were Really Surprised by the Election Result, We Should Worry About Their Policies
Here is a remarkable (and slightly disturbing) video in which chimps dressed in sweaters do amazing things on ice skates to the theme song from “Rocky.”
via Logan (obvs)
The Sad Faces of Fox News on Election Night
See also:
- Election 2012: Liberal Schadenfreude Hits Impossible Heights
- Who was the wrongest of them all? See Slate’s Pundit Scorecard
I have heard the arguments about being “implicated” in a “system of compromise” and therefore “not wanting to vote.” To you, I say: EAT DICKS IN SPACE.
This creep can dance, man.
via Karl