"[expletive] Steamroller."

Please, New York Times, embrace the fuck. In column his today, Clyde Haberman writes of Eliot Spitzer, "With a swagger, he warned one assemblyman that he was a “steamroller,” modifying that word with a street profanity to show that he was not some effete product of the Upper East Side who could be trifled with."

It's an excellent column, so it's a shame Mr. Haberman had to resort to such a ridiculous contortion. In his defense, this isn't the first time The Grey Lady has jumped through hoops to avoid accurately quoting Mr. Spitzer.

-- Danny Hakim, 3.15.07: "In a previous outburst, now widely publicized, the governor described himself to the Assembly minority leader, James N. Tedisco, as a “steamroller” — adding a profane adjective for emphasis — who had accomplished more in just a few weeks than any other governor."

-- Danny Hakim, 5.29.07: "In a speech this month, Mr. Bruno mocked the governor before more than a thousand Republicans, recounting the way Mr. Spitzer once described himself as “a [expletive] steamroller.”"

-- Clyde Haberman, 7.10.07: "And then there is Mr. Spitzer’s often-quoted warning to a Republican assemblyman that he is a “steamroller” who will run over opponents. He modified “steamroller” with an all-too-familiar profanity, apparently to show what a tough guy he can be."

-- Clyde Haberman, 10.9.07: "Take Gov. Eliot Spitzer, the professed “steamroller.” (That’s the sanitized version of his self-description.)"

-- Danny Hakim, 10.21.07: "Mr. Spitzer angered Assembly Democrats with his blistering criticism after they picked one of their own, Thomas P. DiNapoli, as comptroller to replace Alan G. Hevesi, who resigned. And in a much-recounted January phone call with the Assembly Republican leader James N. Tedisco, the governor referred to himself as “a [expletive] steamroller.”"

-- Danny Hakim, 11.4.07: "The governor also once proclaimed himself “a [expletive] steamroller” to the top Assembly Republican, James N. Tedisco..."

-- James Barron, 3.11.08: "And they said a governor who, only a year ago, had been quoted calling himself “the steamroller” — but with a vulgar flourish — had steamrolled his own career."

-- Michael Powell and Mike McIntire, 3.11.08: "He did nothing at half-speed. “Listen, I’m a steamroller,” he told a State Assembly leader in his first days as governor, adding an unprintable adjective into the mix for emphasis."

It's not like the Times hasn't previously used a variation on the word, so what's the fucking problem gives?