Ain't foolin' the WaPo

(see previous post...)

i watched this charade live on cnni from here in sofia... it's always amazing to me how the media resources of an entire nation can be mobilized by one man with absolutely nothing to say...

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) yesterday came up with yet another ploy to shield himself and his colleagues from scrutiny while pretending to do the opposite.

The issue is how House leaders dealt with warnings that Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) had sent inappropriate e-mail to a teenage page. The speaker announced with considerable satisfaction that he hopes to appoint an independent "person of high caliber" -- but not to do what is obviously needed, which is investigate whether the House botched the response, thereby endangering more pages.

if hastert conducts a "cha-rade," does that mean that he's a "char-latan...?" same root word... just wondering...

cha·rade
Pronunciation: sh&-'rAd, -'räd
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Occitan charrado chat, from charrá to chat, chatter
1 : a word represented in riddling verse or by picture, tableau, or dramatic action
2 plural : a game in which some of the players try to guess a word or phrase from the actions of another player who may not speak
3 : an empty or deceptive act or pretense

char·la·tan
Pronunciation: 'shär-l&-t&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian ciarlatano, alteration of cerretano, literally, inhabitant of Cerreto, from Cerreto, Italy
1 : QUACK 2
2 : one making usually showy pretenses to knowledge or ability

hmmm... good guess but not the same root word... ah, well... close enough for government work...

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