This is the first time a six-letter word may save the Republic. It's "Rescue" to the rescue. A quick survey of the MSM news outlets shows that the media is responding to criticism by some lawmakers (as reported last night on either NBC Nightly or ABC World News Tonight) that the word "bailout" is making it hard to pass a bill. Voters don't want to bail out Wall Street. But they might support "rescuing" the economy.
It's like the Contract on America. Newt didn't propose "limiting liability" for corporations. Instead, he proposed "regulatory reform" and "tort reform" and other phrases that had 70% positive feedback in focus groups. It's all in the terminology. It's like Hilary said, just words.
So get ready to RESCUE!!!! (add sports stadium "ready-to-Rumble" intonation here).
The survey below shows that "rescue" has at least pulled even with "bailout," though most MSM outlets find a way to work in both words. Look for "rescue" to replace "bailout" in the hours and days ahead...
Washington Post
"Senate Seeks to Vote Later Today on Bailout" is the headline for the washingtonpost.com top story by Shailagh Murray and Paul Kane, but the printed edition by the same two authors carries this headline: "Lawmakers Revise Rescue Plan". The lead in both articles is the same: "Prodded by a wave of angry calls from constituents, congressional leaders dialed back partisan bickering over the $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan yesterday and advanced modest changes to the legislation in an effort to win over House Republican holdouts." The schizophrenic approach to labeling the "intervention" by wpost.com is another popular strategy for dealing with what to call it. Use both labels and cover your ass bases. What will the ombudsman make of this?!? No doubt Howell will say that as political leaders began to use the term "rescue" the paper's editors followed suit.
New York Times (nytimes.com)
Only the New York Times stays with the "bailout" label in both headline and story lead. "Senate to Vote Today on the Bailout Plan" is the headline, and the lead reads, "Senate leaders scheduled a Wednesday vote on a $700 billion financial bailout package after accepting tax breaks and a higher limit for insured bank deposits in a bid to win House approval and send legislation to President Bush by the end of the week." But don't despair, because Tom Friedman comes to the rescue with his column titled, "Rescue the Rescue." Oddly, his column did not mention that there's still time to get it right in Iraq if we do exactly as he says.
MSNBC
The msnbc.com homepage headline is "Senate to vote on economic bailout bill Wednesday," but then, the headline on the linked article by AP writer Andrew Taylor is, "Top lawmakers hopeful of rescue bill progress
Hoyer, Blunt say hopeful financial rescue will survive vital Senate vote."
ABC
ABCnews.go.com headline: "Top Story: Senate to Vote on Revised Financial Rescue Plan" links to AP story by Taylor same as MSNBC.
Fox
The foxnews.com homepage is ever clever, sporting this headline, "Senate May Rescue Bailout," using both in the headline itself, but the lead tips Ailes hand, using the back-benchers preferred "bailout," "GOP-favored tax legislation could help $700B bailout plan pass today's Senate vote."
CBS (The Palin Channel)
At cbsnews.com, the headline is: Revised Rescue Bill Gives Lawmakers Hope, Senate Tackles New Measure Featuring Controversial Tax Breaks, Increased Deposit Insurance," while the story copy, credited as CBS/AP begins, "Two House leaders said Wednesday headway is being made toward getting the $700 billion financial industry rescue bill through Congress, thanks partly to a provision increasing insurance for people's deposits."
Los Angeles Times
The latimes.com homepage reads, "Speaker's tactics on bailout bill questioned," but the article by Janet Hook has a lead with a "rescue": "The rescue plan's narrow defeat points to limits on Pelosi's ability to shape votes in the House and to dispel her reputation as a polarizing figure."
Atlanta Journal Constitution
The ajc.com homepage headline is "Senate votes on bailout Wed.; Tax cut package already rejected by House to be included." Then, the inside story is a different AP article posted last night by Associated Press writers Tom Raum, Ben Feller, Andrew Taylor, Alan Fram and Jim Kuhnhenn (that's quite a team): "Senate to vote on financial rescue plan Wednesday WASHINGTON — Senate leaders have scheduled a vote for Wednesday on the $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan rejected by the House."
Finally, The Boston Herald
The bostonherald.com homepage features a local politician: "John Kerry: Time short to keep storm at bay" is the headline, with the story, "U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry yesterday called for Congress to get a rescue plan together quickly to keep the financial crisis from gathering into an 'economic tsunami.'"