Maybe It Was the Word of the Day
Yahoo News headline reporting on Obama’s June fundraising numbers:”Obama raises $52M in June, setting torrid new pace”.
Okay, I know we’re not supposed to blame the reporter for the headline, but it’s in the article too.
WASHINGTON - Though he’s raking in the cash so far, Barack Obama’s decision to forgo public funds for the fall campaign means he must keep up his torrid pace — a tall order that will tax his time, test his Internet support and require the help of Democratic donors who once wished for his defeat.
I associate the word “torrid” with romance novels, so it struck me as odd in this context. Although I suppose I could insert a joke about that cohort of Obama supporters who love him with such mindless devotion they will excuse him anything *, up to and including trashing the fourth amendment.
Anyway, I headed over to dictionary.com to check the definition of torrid, and here’s what popped up:
- subject to parching or burning heat, esp. of the sun, as a geographical area: the torrid sands of the Sahara.
- oppressively hot, parching, or burning, as climate, weather, or air.
- ardent; passionate: a torrid love story.
So it looks like Obama will have to keep up a parching, burning, oppressively hot, and possibly ardent pace of fundraising. Well, it is summer.
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
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* If the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t force it on with a shoehorn.
July 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
That’s such a weird usage. At least his pace isn’t torpid.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Indeed. Torpid would not be good.
July 24th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Perhaps “annoyed” would be a better word. Like Clinton is/was perfect. Sometimes Kathy, I have to wonder do you just think voting Democratic is a “sympathy vote”.
July 24th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
And to that, I can only respond “huh?”