Why is the media deeming so many politicos as embattled?
By Bob Kieve Have you noticed how many people have been “embattled” lately? First, of course, there was Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. He was embattled for a very long time before he resigned. Then there was San Jose city auditor Gerald Silva. He was embattled for such a long time that the word became part of his title. The media didn’t call him “the auditor.” No, they consistently said he was “the embattled auditor.” Then, of course, there’s Sen. Craig of Idaho…I mean, the embattled Idaho senator, Larry Craig. He apparently was embattled as the result of a sex sting. And, more recently, I read about the embattled Norman Hsu, a big political donor. He had been convicted of felony grand theft…and turned himself in. Embattled. They’re all embattled. At least, that’s what we media people like to call folks who are under attack. But, whoops! That’s not how Webster’s dictionary would have us use the word. Webster’s preferred definition–and in some editions it’s the only definition-
