This is a classic moment from a few years ago, but I couldn’t find it in my archives, so I’m posting it again.

Jagdish Bhagwati in 2005:

I often say that, you know, we should never use the phrase “FTA,” free trade agreement, because politicians cannot go beyond a sound bite, which means they can’t read more than two words one time. So if they read “free trade agreement,” they’ll read only “free trade,” and so they’ll think it’s the same thing.

Tom Friedman in 2006:

Asked at a speaking gig, “Mr. Friedman, is there any free-trade agreement you’d oppose?” Friedman replied, “No, absolutely not,” adding, “You know what, sir? I wrote a column supporting the CAFTA, the Caribbean Free Trade initiative. I didn’t even know what was in it. I just knew two words: ‘free trade.'” (Um, dude, you also didn’t know its name: It’s the Central American Free Trade Agreement.)