When is someone off the record?

Strange story on the front page of the Scotsman today. They've got Samantha Power, one of Barack Obama's people, calling Hillary Clinton a "monster":

"We f***** up in Ohio," she admitted. "In Ohio, they are obsessed and Hillary is going to town on it, because she knows Ohio's the only place they can win.

"She is a monster, too – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything," Ms Power said, hastily trying to withdraw her remark.

Now to me, that comment should be off the record. The Scotsman put in an explanation at the bottom of their article saying that this disclaimer only works if it's stated at the beginning of an interview that this will be the nature of the conversation. However, in practice I've seen it work plenty of times that a conversation is fully quoted but if someone wants to go off the record for a moment - and they say it quite clearly - that this is respected.

I suspect that if this had been a Scottish politician, the Scotsman wouldn't have gone to town on it in quite the same way. The fact that they will not be getting regular access to the Obama camp anyway led them to take the decision they did.

Comments

[Ted]

I think it's legitimate to use it. In my view, 'off the record' only applies when the person is fully aware of what they were about to say but would rather it wasn't made public so invites the journalist(s) into their confidence. By stating it at the start of the conversation, it allows the journalist(s) to state whether they'll accept that confidence (usually tacit) or whether they will report it so it's best not to say anything (in which case, they should make that clear). It's not really intended to cover up faux pas, digs at your opponent or any other error on your part by retrospectively shouting 'off the record' as if it's some magical statement with the power to wipe memory banks. It's a lesson in thinking before you open your gob. Anyway, the Clinton and Obama camps are both vile, constantly sniping at each other, indulging in dirty tricks, so I don't think anyone owes them anything in pretending this isn't happening. It's a pity both of them can't lose.

BTW Osama, in your other post you refer to the Blitz - this, of course, refers to the bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany, not vice versa as you seem to suggest.