Posted on 11/16/2011 1:39:08 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Some folks, like Newt Gingrich, read Newt Gingrich's surge in this week's polls as a warm, if belated, embrace of his plan to balance the budget and get this country "back on track."
Other folks, like a certain Words Work writer, wonder if the word "ain't" reads a tad unpresidential.
"It ain't a day for quitting nothing," Texas governor Rick Perry assured us late last week after his infamous debate brain freeze.
....Oh, fine. But seriously, "ain't"? And not just "ain't," but "ain't a day for quitting nothing?" Was that the best line to hitch your star to on the day you're doing damage control for looking, um, less than cerebral?
"It could be another way to communicate, 'I'm just an average kind of guy,' " says Newman. "He's reinforcing that image: 'What you saw was not a pressured response, it's just me being me.' "
Cain and Perry have both, after all, billed themselves as real and unpolished from the beginning.
"My guess is it's just two guys marketing themselves as non-political types, average Joes, non-slick," says Newman.
"Ain't" also cuts the conversation short.
"It's a way of keeping it very concise and not having to bring into conversation words that could insinuate another meaning—"Well, I don't intend on,' 'My plan is not,' " Newman says. "With 'ain't gonna happen,' the message remains, 'There's nothing to discuss here.' "
(Other that the small matter of a double negative in a single clause. But we're moving on. Honest, we are.)
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
If you're interested, there was discussion about this OpEd writer's supposing:
Thanks. And thanks for not giving up on Rick.
Why do they pick on Perry, with his intentional “ain’t,” and under a big photo, when I’ve heard Cain say more than once “we was . . .”? Stoopid MSM. I really loathe them.
No, it’s intentional deflection of a valid criticism to a different candidate.
Remember when they said BUSH was afraid to fly?
They are seriously misleading people.
Zauber-jimfree 2012!
No, but he does look good.
You are not qualified to be president because you use the word schmuck ... not a nice way to talk about our next president.
Another nice thing about Perry is that he has no baggage.
His actions and opinions are already out there and have been gone over more closely than agents at the airport go over the baggage of your average 95 year old lady.
You may disagree with some of his positions but nothing will come up to bite him.
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