Standing on the ‘precipice’ of health care reform
Speaking about health care reform, the president says the nation is "on the precipice of an achievement that's eluded Congresses and presidents for generations." White House photo, Pete Souza
In addition to claiming that insulation is “sexy,” President Obama made another rhetorical blunder. After meeting with Senate Democrats on health care reform, the president said this:
We just had a very productive session about the final stages of health care reform in the Senate. And from the discussions we had it’s clear that we are on the precipice of an achievement that’s eluded Congresses and Presidents for generations — an achievement that will touch the lives of nearly every American.
A precipice of achievement? Mary Katherine Ham of the Weekly Standard points out the strangeness of the phrasing — that a precipice isn’t a good thing.
If you’re thinking to yourself that the word “precipice” has negative connotations, and you’re wondering why the great orator would use it to illustrate his grand victory, you have reason to wonder. Here are the two definitions of the word, both quite unnerving when applied to the health-care debate:
1. a cliff with a vertical, nearly vertical, or overhanging face.
2. a situation of great peril.
To be fair, the administration isn’t that good with a dictionary. But perhaps the president is just telling us the truth. That the nation really is at a precipice. So much for all of that talk about bringing the U.S. economy “back from the brink.”
Oh, and were the C-SPAN camera’s rolling during the president’s meet up?
Sources:
The White House, Dec. 15, 2009
Remarks by the President After Meeting with Senate Democrats
The Weekly Standard, Dec. 15, 2009
Obama: Do Not Fear; This Health-Care Bill Puts Us on the Edge of a Large, Scary Cliff
LA Times, Dec. 15, 2009
Obama: We are on the healthcare ‘precipice,’ but he meant that in a good way
