DC Trawler

Hey, everybody, stop calling it ‘Obamacare’

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The other night a guy named John O’Hara went on The Daily Show to promote his new book, A New American Tea Party: The Counterrevolution Against Bailouts, Handouts, Reckless Spending, and More Taxes. Jon Stewart actually had some time to talk to O’Hara after reciting the title of the book. They had a pleasant enough chat, but then there was an odd exchange, starting 2 minutes into this clip:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
John O’Hara Pt. 2
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Stewart: “Isn’t ‘Obamacare,’ by the very nature of you using the phrase, derogatory? Rather than saying, ‘Let’s talk about the new health care reform.'”

If “Obamacare” is derogatory, who or what is being derogated? Is this “health care reform” being impugned by its association with Obama? Or is Obama being insulted by associating him with it? Presumably Jon Stewart is in favor of both. So where’s the disparagement? Which one is being brought down by the other?

Stewart likens this phrase to using “teabaggers” to describe members of the Tea Party. Is he really comparing Barack Obama, the President of the United States, to the practice of dipping one’s testicles into another person’s mouth?

He didn’t really think this one through, did he?

(Hat tip: The Washington Examiner)

P.S. Frank J. Fleming says, “Here’s a deal: We’ll call Obamacare whatever the left wants us to call it after we repeal it.”

P.P.S. Allahpundit: “Maybe it’s just the left waking up to the fact of how unpopular the law is and doing what little it can to remove Obama’s fingerprints from it.” Hell of a lot of fingerprints…

P.P.P.S. I’ll give Moe Lane the last word.

Jim Treacher