Interview with CBS News Political Hotsheet on the language of the State of the Union address.
Ben Zimmer, who writes the “On Language” column for the New York Times, says one reason the GOP launched the preemptive strike is because they sense the president has rediscovered his linguistic edge in recent weeks.
“Republicans recognize they are at rhetorical disadvantage,” Zimmer said. “Obama has been on an upward path lately with improved popularity and the Tucson speech in part was something that … established Obama as speaking from a position that is really above the fray.”
Read the rest here.