The Onion Come to Life: CNN Censors Word “Crosshairs.” What’s Next?

David Horowitz's NewsReal Blog ^ | January 20, 2011 | David Forsmark

[Walter Scott Hudson]

Yesterday provided a moment of unintentional hilarity as CNN, birthplace of "Crossfire,"the show that invented political TV verbal combat, satirized itself in ways Saturday Night Live could only dream of, on a par with the best of The Onion:

CNN's JOHN KING: "We were having a discussion about the Chicago mayoral race. My friend Andy Shaw used the term 'in the crosshairs' in talking about the candidates. We're trying, we're trying to get away from that language. Andy is a good friend, he's covered politics for a long time, but we're trying to get away from that kind of language."

So, without further ado, here is the new style book for all Turner networks, issued immediately after this horrifying gaffe:

1. Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Caught in the Crossfire cannot be used as bumper music for NBA games.
2. Commentators covering political debates or campaigns, should refrain from saying one side has “provided ammunition” for its critics.
3. For that matter, the word campaign is also far too warlike. (War is a primary definition of campaign in the dictionary.) We will henceforth refer to “election contests” or “political contests.” A candidate’s own effort should be called a "Primary Contest," or a "General Election Contest.”
4. Similarly, we will no longer be using the term "battleground states." On air personnel should instead opt for "closely contested" or "states in danger of going Republican."
5. Under no circumstances should someone who stubbornly holds to a position be said to be "sticking to his guns." Republicans will be termed as "uncompromising partisanship" while Democrats will be "holding to principle."
6. And please please please, never refer to an elected official as "shooting his/her mouth off" in light of recent events.

[screaminsunshine]

The only people who watch CNN are stuck in airports.

[mrsmith]

Also banned:

fractious filaments
captious cilia
testy tendrils
waspish woofs

[NoLibZone]

Crossfire was a current events debate television program that aired for 23 years ( 1982 to 2005 ) on CNN.

[FrankR]

[B4Ranch]

There goes any future news reports about them evil Marine Corps snipers.

[Jack_1]

The word "Crossed Out" should be banned