The War On Semantic Dumbfuckery

Sometimes I loathe myself because I haven't figured out how to get paid to say whatever dumbass shit comes into my head. Usually this happens when I read The Politico and its merry band of morons.

Here's Ben Smith, whose cranium is 100 percent birdseed:

Obama's speech: No mention of "war on terror"

Barack Obama was among those raising his hands in a recent debate to indicate that he believes there is a "war on terror," but his speech today -- and read the whole thing -- marks a really sharp departure from policies past, and seems to challenge Hillary either to come along or be pushed toward the White House.

One note: The phrase "war on terror" appears nowhere in the speech.

The closest he comes: "America is at war with terrorists who killed on our soil. We are not at war with Islam."

The inarticulate Smith appears to be saying that Barack Obama has made a sharp departure from his past positions because he said that America is at war with terrorists rather than engaged in a war on terror. (Of course, neither statement refers to "policies" -- or is a comment on or to Senator Clinton, for that matter.)

There's no contradiction between Senator Obama's implied endorsement of the meaningless shorthand phrase "war on terror" and the more precise statement that America is using military resources against those affilated with the 9/11 attackers. Are Obama's promises to use the military to "to track down, capture or kill terrorists around the world" and "ensure that our military becomes more stealth[y], agile, and lethal in its ability to capture or kill terrorists" -- in a speech entitled "The War We Need to Win," no less -- inconsistent with the concept of "war on/against terrorism." Is the senator required to spout the Bushite cliche verbatim, in every speech, in order to avoid the charge of a radical course correction? Apparently he is if Ben Smith's got nothing to say and space to fill. Smith's analysis is simply infantile.

So where do I go to get the lobotomy that will put me on the Politico payroll?