You Say, 'Rescue,' I Say, 'Bailout'

Hoyer, Blunt hopeful of progress on rescue bill

A leading House Democrat and his Republican counterpart are expressing confidence that prospects have improved for congressional passage of a $700 billion bill to steady the country's teetering financial markets.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Rep. Roy Blunt also said Wednesday they hope the bill will survive a critical vote later in the day in the Senate.

Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, appeared with Blunt on NBC's "Today" program. Hoyer said, "I think the Senate thinks it has the votes and I think it probably will pass."

The bailout is now a rescue. It's the $700 billion life preserver.

The language shift is significant. It's spin.

Blunt and Hoyer want to be Mighty Mouse rather than Karl Marx.

The hope is to make the bailout more palatable to Americans by calling it a rescue.

I'm in support of Congress taking some action to stabilize the economic situation.

Still, a bailout by any other name doesn't smell sweet. I'm afraid it's necessary, but it's not sweet.

There's nothing heroic about this rescue.