From last week's NY Times Book Review of Michael Kinsley's new book Please Don't Remain Calm: Provocations and Commentaries:
Kinsley deserves special credit for exposing the curious syntactical tic that has made television news abolish all forms of the verb "to be," including "'is,' 'are,' 'am,' even 'were' and 'was.'" He quotes Lou Dobbs on CNN: " 'Top government officials today adding their voices to the call for Americans to remain vigilant.' (I not kidding: These his opening words on that evening's program.)"
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