gotcha

A framing mechanism to make reasonable, obvious questions seem like they’re somehow “gotcha” journalism?

So there was no effort at gotcha here, we were just interested in incorporating it.

That is reinforced when we watch reporters embarrass themselves in the White House briefing room; whether it’s asking about the vice president’s situational affectation of a Southern accent, or a “gotcha” question about free speech and satire riddled with racist comments.

Then, also, just coming to that courtroom at the end, where he’s always gonna get the “I gotcha” moment — there’s something really comforting about that, too, knowing that he’s gonna get the bad guy and that the truth is gonna be exposed.

It flattens more than it layers on, and it is certainly damaging to progressive movements when identity is wielded as a cudgel or a gotcha.