“and pronounced a key concept word from the blurb and the book ‘statist’ to rhyme with ‘mat-ist.’”
That’s the way I pronounce it too,’cause that’s the way it is commonly said. I realize the root word “state” has a different pronounciation. Also, everyone says “nihilist” like “high-ilist,” me included, when I know very well that the latin root is pronounced “knee-hilist”.
Most of us just follow the crowd.
Further: Steele should be conversant at least with the concepts expounded daily on conservative talk radio, where the term is pronounced “state-ist” 100% of the time. His stumblingly and haltingly pronouncing it “stat-ist” was a dead giveaway that he had never heard the term. Ditto his pronouncing the author's name “Mark Leveeen.” It was just a dead giveaway that Steele is not in any way conversant with conservative thought in 2009.
That's quite an admission. Following the crowd instead of doing what you know is right is called selling out. What's right is what's right no matter how many others are doing what's wrong. Are you sure you're are not Arlen Specter trolling here? It's exactly the same.