FACT: Team Obama Should Stop Saying “FACT”

It’s a debate ender for the smarty pants set

The Obama team loves to emphasize the keen inarguableness of their policy and political positions by punctuating them with a debate-ending “FACT” at the beginning of their Twitter pronouncements.

For example:

FACT: Jay Carney is a leading FACT Tweeter

FACT: But he’s not alone

FACT: Even the building gets into the act

Well. I guess they told us!

Aside from being a conversation ender, however, this odd rhetorical Twitter tic presents some definite communication problems — not just for those receiving the message but also for those sharing them.

One, it suggests insecurity in their position. Imagine if you’re having a conversation with somebody and every time they sought to make a point, they said:

“FACT: Water is made up of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen!”

“FACT: A whale is the largest mammal!”

“FACT: A bear can beat up a shark!”

My first reaction would be: “Why do you keep yelling ‘FACT’ at me?” My second? I would assume what the speaker is saying is NOT A FACT.

The White House must stop telling us everything they say or believe is the absolute truth. It speaks not to wisdom of the speaker but to an arrogance born of insecurity.

Plus, it’s annoying and off-putting. It’s like this guy is the White House communications director:

FACT: The Obama team is as interesting to talk to as Cliff Clavin

Second, it is a waste of valuable real estate in the Tweet. You’ve got 140 characters. Save the five (or six, if you count the space) and share some actual insight.

Finally, and most importantly, it implies everything else the Obama team Tweets without the vaunted “FACT” announcement is, well, NOT A FACT. If they feel the need to shout “FACT” from the mountaintops every time they believe they have facts on their side, the other Tweets lack a certain certainty that erodes my faith in their absolute veracity.

Let’s see what Team Obama has deemed unworthy of the vaunted “FACT” tag in recent days, shall we?

FACT: These three judges probably aren’t well-qualified

FACT: Those turkeys will be slaughtered by sundown

FACT: We are left to believe it would shrink the economy, destroy jobs and raise the deficit

Without the “FACT” tag, I do believe all of these Tweets are open to debate — if not outright falsehoods.

Team Obama should lose the FACTs from its Tweets for the very reason all communicators should drop “I think” from everything they say. The mere fact you are saying it suggests you think it.

And the mere fact the White House is saying it should be enough for it to be a FACT, right?

Right?