[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.87,0:00:14.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of my favorite words in the whole\Nof the Oxford English Dictionary
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.47,0:00:16.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is "snollygoster,"
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.34,0:00:17.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just because it sounds so good.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.01,0:00:21.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what snollygoster means\Nis "a dishonest politician."
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.32,0:00:24.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Although there was a 19th-century\Nnewspaper editor
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.87,0:00:26.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who defined it rather better when he said,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.93,0:00:29.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"A snollygoster is a fellow\Nwho seeks office
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.47,0:00:33.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,regardless of party,\Nplatform or principle,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.07,0:00:34.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and who, when he wins,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.61,0:00:39.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gets there by the sheer force\Nof monumental talknophical assumnancy."
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.85,0:00:41.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.41,0:00:43.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I have no idea\Nwhat "talknophical" is.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.53,0:00:45.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Something to do with words, I assume.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.36,0:00:48.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's very important that words\Nare at the center of politics,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.65,0:00:51.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all politicians know\Nthey have to try and control language.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.08,0:00:55.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It wasn't until, for example, 1771
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.14,0:00:59.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the British Parliament\Nallowed newspapers to report
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.58,0:01:02.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the exact words that were said\Nin the debating chamber.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.85,0:01:05.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this was actually\Nall down to the bravery
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.18,0:01:08.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a guy with the extraordinary\Nname of Brass Crosby,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.51,0:01:10.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who took on Parliament.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.26,0:01:12.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he was thrown into the Tower of London
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.36,0:01:14.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and imprisoned,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.48,0:01:17.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but he was brave enough,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.31,0:01:19.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he was brave enough\Nto take them on, and in the end,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.81,0:01:22.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he had such popular support\Nin London that he won.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.27,0:01:24.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it was only a few years later
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.06,0:01:28.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we have the first recorded use\Nof the phrase "as bold as brass."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.46,0:01:31.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most people think\Nthat's down to the metal.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.51,0:01:35.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not; it's down to a campaigner\Nfor the freedom of the press.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.95,0:01:40.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But to really show you\Nhow words and politics interact,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.16,0:01:42.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I want to take you back\Nto the United States of America,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.80,0:01:45.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just after they'd achieved independence.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.61,0:01:47.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they had to face the question
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.38,0:01:50.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of what to call\NGeorge Washington, their leader.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.11,0:01:51.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They didn't know.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.39,0:01:54.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What do you call the leader\Nof a republican country?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.74,0:01:57.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this was debated\Nin Congress for ages and ages.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.63,0:02:00.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there were all sorts\Nof suggestions on the table,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.18,0:02:01.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which might have made it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.40,0:02:03.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, some people\Nwanted him to be called
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.66,0:02:05.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Chief Magistrate Washington,"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.48,0:02:07.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and other people,\N"His Highness, George Washington,"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.99,0:02:09.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and other people,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.25,0:02:12.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Protector of the Liberties
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.03,0:02:15.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the People of the United States\Nof America Washington."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.10,0:02:16.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not that catchy.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.75,0:02:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some people just wanted\Nto call him king --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.20,0:02:20.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was tried and tested.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.74,0:02:22.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They weren't even being monarchical,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.49,0:02:25.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they had the idea that you could\Nbe elected king for a fixed term.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.73,0:02:27.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, you know, it could have worked.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.02,0:02:29.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And everybody got insanely bored,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.90,0:02:31.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because this debate\Nwent on for three weeks.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.100,0:02:34.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I read a diary of this poor senator\Nwho just keeps coming back,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.01,0:02:36.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Still on this subject."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.28,0:02:38.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the reason for the delay\Nand the boredom
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.83,0:02:42.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was that the House of Representatives\Nwere against the Senate.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.47,0:02:46.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The House of Representatives didn't want\NWashington to get drunk on power.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.71,0:02:49.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They didn't want to call him "king,"\Nin case that gave him ideas,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.82,0:02:51.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or his successor ideas.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.19,0:02:54.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they wanted to give him\Nthe humblest, meagerest,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.36,0:02:57.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,most pathetic title\Nthat they could think of.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.76,0:02:58.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that title ...
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.84,0:03:01.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was "President."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.26,0:03:03.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.35,0:03:05.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"President." They didn't invent the title.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.40,0:03:06.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, it existed before,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.75,0:03:09.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it just meant somebody\Nwho presides over a meeting.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.44,0:03:11.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was like the foreman of the jury.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.34,0:03:13.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it didn't have much more grandeur
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.20,0:03:15.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than the term "foreman" or "overseer."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.08,0:03:17.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There were occasional presidents\Nof little colonial councils
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.98,0:03:19.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and bits of government,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.18,0:03:20.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it was really a nothing title.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.39,0:03:23.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's why the Senate objected to it.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.42,0:03:27.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They said, "That's ridiculous!\NYou can't call him 'President.'
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.20,0:03:30.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This guy has to go and sign treaties\Nand meet foreign dignitaries.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.64,0:03:34.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who's going to take him seriously\Nif he's got a silly little title
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.22,0:03:36.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like 'President of the United\NStates of America'?"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.88,0:03:37.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.82,0:03:42.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And after three weeks\Nof debate, in the end,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.69,0:03:46.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Senate did not cave in.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.77,0:03:52.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead, they agreed to use\Nthe title "President" for now.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.46,0:03:56.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But they also wanted\Nit absolutely set down
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.26,0:03:58.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they didn't agree with it,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.37,0:04:04.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from a decent respect for the opinions\Nand practice of civilized nations,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.84,0:04:08.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether under republican\Nor monarchical forms of government,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.67,0:04:10.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whose custom it is to annex,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.81,0:04:12.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through the office\Nof the Chief Magistrate,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.85,0:04:14.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,titles of respectability --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.65,0:04:16.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not bloody "President."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.78,0:04:20.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that, in the intercourse\Nwith foreign nations,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.41,0:04:24.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the majesty of the people\Nof the United States
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.68,0:04:28.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,may not be hazarded\Nby an appearance of singularity --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.69,0:04:31.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,i.e., we don't want to look\Nlike bloody weirdos.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.88,0:04:35.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, you can learn\Nthree interesting things from this.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.51,0:04:37.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First of all -- and this is my favorite --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.74,0:04:40.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that, so far as I've ever\Nbeen able to find out,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.20,0:04:44.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Senate has never formally\Nendorsed the title of President.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.49,0:04:48.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Barack Obama, President Obama,\Nis there on borrowed time,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.43,0:04:51.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just waiting for the Senate\Nto spring into action.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.60,0:04:52.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.87,0:04:54.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second thing you can learn
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.34,0:04:57.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that, when a government says\Nthat this is a temporary measure --
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.59,0:04:59.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.98,0:05:04.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can still be waiting 223 years later.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.25,0:05:08.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the third thing you can learn --\Nand this is the really important one,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.79,0:05:10.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the point I want to leave you on --
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.54,0:05:14.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that the title, "President\Nof the United States of America,"
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.50,0:05:17.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn't sound that humble\Nat all these days, does it?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.64,0:05:21.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Something to do\Nwith the slightly over 5,000
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.87,0:05:24.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,nuclear warheads he has at his disposal
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.14,0:05:26.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the largest economy in the world
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.34,0:05:28.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a fleet of drones\Nand all that sort of stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.94,0:05:35.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Reality and history\Nhave endowed that title with grandeur.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.89,0:05:38.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so the Senate won in the end.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.53,0:05:40.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They got their title of respectability.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.98,0:05:44.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And also, the Senate's other worry,\Nthe appearance of singularity --
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.54,0:05:46.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,well, it was a singularity back then.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.69,0:05:49.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But now, do you know\Nhow many nations have a president?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.57,0:05:51.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A hundred and forty-seven.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.91,0:05:53.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All because they want\Nto sound like the guy
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.95,0:05:56.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who's got the 5,000 nuclear warheads, etc.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.56,0:06:01.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, in the end, the Senate won
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.46,0:06:03.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the House of Representatives lost ...
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.96,0:06:07.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because nobody's going to feel that humble
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.50,0:06:09.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when they're told that they are now
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.21,0:06:12.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the President of the United\NStates of America.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.64,0:06:16.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's the important lesson\NI think you can take away,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.43,0:06:18.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the one I want to leave you with.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.23,0:06:22.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Politicians try to pick and use words\Nto shape and control reality,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.05,0:06:23.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but in fact,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.73,0:06:28.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,reality changes words far more\Nthan words can ever change reality.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.64,0:06:30.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much.