Say what?
A not-so-commonly used word has taken the internet by storm as sleuths speculate over who may have written an anonymous New York Times op-ed about administration officials' efforts to "resist" President Donald Trump.
Soon after the bombshell piece authored by a "senior official" was published Wednesday, "lodestar" appeared among Twitter's trending topics and sparked searches on Google and Merriam-Webster's website.
📈Also spiking from the NYT piece: 'amoral' and 'lodestar' https://t.co/XMftX38Q6k
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) September 5, 2018
The term appears in a passage of the op-ed that described the late Sen. John McCain:
"We may no longer have Senator McCain," the op-ed reads. "But we will always have his example – a lodestar for restoring honor to public life and our national dialogue. Mr. Trump may fear such honorable men, but we should revere them."
But what does it mean? According to Merriam-Webster, a lodestar is "a star that leads or guides," such as the North Star, or "one that serves as an inspiration, model or guide." (Ironically, it was the site's "word of the day" on Aug. 28, about a week before the op-ed dropped.)
Good morning! Today's #WordOfTheDay is 'lodestar' https://t.co/wWjlnDUh2t pic.twitter.com/lTMBSrw9z9
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) August 28, 2018
Figures.
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) September 5, 2018
Twitter users zeroed in on the word, theorizing that Vice President Mike Pence could be the op-ed's author because he has used "lodestar" in several speeches.
The word is "LODESTAR." Note that it comes in the same paragraph praising John McCain. That would rule out flame-throwers like Stephen Miller and Dan Scavino and suggest someone with Senate ties. This reveal is not going to take long. pic.twitter.com/NwnUtvFlko
— Dan Bloom (@danbl00m) September 5, 2018
"lodestar" (h/t @danbl00m) pic.twitter.com/SqKFlBTR0f
— David Mack (@davidmackau) September 5, 2018
For the record, Pence's office on Thursday denied that he had anything to do with Times piece, saying he and his staff are "above such amateur acts."
The Vice President puts his name on his Op-Eds. The @nytimes should be ashamed and so should the person who wrote the false, illogical, and gutless op-ed. Our office is above such amateur acts.
— Jarrod Agen (@VPComDir) September 6, 2018
Others pointed out that former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said "lodestar" while describing McCain at the senator's funeral Saturday, so anyone who attended or watched the service could have latched onto the term.
Before you get all hopped up on Pence lodestar Zodiac gate, here's Henry Kissinger saying "Honor was John's lodestar" in his eulogy last week, which presumably a great many people heard. https://t.co/tg4gs5gfF2
— Ari Schulman (@AriSchulman) September 5, 2018
So will "lodestar" shine any light on who authored the controversial piece? Only time will tell.
Cox Media Group
