Whenever journalists are tempted to use the P-word, they would be advised to consult a thesaurus to find an adjective for a term that has become a tired, deservedly mocked cliché. "Pouncing" as in "pouncing Republicans" which is used to describe supposedly opportunistic Republicans taking advantage of a political situation. Of course, the term "pouncing Democrats" is rarely used by the mainstream media.
The latest "pouncing" example comes to us via Monday's USA Today in which correspondent Phillip Bailey invoked that tired cliché in "'Sick' texts from Democratic AG candidate could threaten Spanberger chances in Virginia."
Bounce down a few paragraphs from the top for the "pounce":
Other Republicans are pouncing on the scandal as well, particularly after the shocking Sept. 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which has sparked a national debate about political violence and free speech.
Much of the rest of the article implies "pouncing" Republicans somehow taking unfair advantage of the sick texts recently revealed which were made a few years ago by current Democrat Attorney General candidate in Virginia, Jay Jones.
The revelations have triggered a national backlash led by President Donald Trump, who demanded Jones immediately drop out of the race in an Oct. 5 post on Truth Social.
"It has just come out that the Radical Left Lunatic, Jay Jones, who is running against Jason Miyares, the GREAT Attorney General in Virginia, made SICK and DEMENTED jokes, if they were jokes at all, which were not funny," Trump said. "Even Democrats are saying it is 'RESIGNATION FROM CAMPAIGN' TERRITORY.
Bailey continues trying to squeeze every ounce out of the implied "pounce."
"Abigail Spanberger stands with Jay Jones," Earle-Sears, 61, said in an Oct. 6 post on X, that also tagged her Democratic opponent with jabs over transgender rights and support for the Biden administration.
Bailey concludes with a flurry of wascally Republicans unable to resist pouncing:
Virginia Republicans are now seeking to use Jones' message against the entire Democratic ticket, but particularly to turn voter's attention toward Spanberger, the nominee for governor, who expressed her "disgust" with the comments but fell short of calling on Jones to step aside.
...But Republicans are hoping renewed concerns about political violence and the type of public language used by elected officials will alarm Old Dominion voters enough to shift the race's trajectory.
...Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a popular Republican who is limited to one term, also bashed Jones' text messages as "violent, disgusting rhetoric." He described Spanberger and the entire Democratic slate of contenders as Jones' "running mates" in an Oct. 4 post on X.
Team Pounce. It seems to be just the GOP in much of Media World.
