WinkLingo
Log in

Spotlight · 2015 — Chapter 14 of 21 · 2'05" · C1

Springfield Hearing on Sealed Records, Explained: sledding uphill

At a court hearing in Springfield, the Globe argues that the sealed records should be made public on First Amendment grounds. The Church's side answers that the paper is not a party to the case and "just want to sell papers." The judge draws the line: "You don't get to tag the Cardinal with everything."

What happens

At a hearing in Springfield, the Globe's lawyer asks the court to unseal the Church records, arguing mainly on First Amendment grounds. The Church's side counters that the paper is not a party to the case and only wants to sell newspapers. The judge stops the lawyer from blaming the Cardinal personally, ordering him to say "the archdiocese."

CourtroomExplainingConfrontingRivalsC1mediumamericanClean
IMDb ↗

Listen for

sledding uphillat the Judge's discretiontag someone with somethingdiscretionary order

00:00 / 02:05
Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
Tap a line to replay it

Phrase of the scene

sledding uphill

facing an easy task turned hard; struggling against the odds

记者乔在斯普林菲尔德的走廊碰见迈克，用一句俚语调侃他家阿尔巴诺这场官司正逆风爬坡、打得吃力。

Without a budget, the whole project is sledding uphill.

Also in this scene

  • at the Judge's discretion

    left to the judge's own judgment within the law

  • tag someone with something

    to pin something on someone; to hold one person responsible for everything

  • discretionary order

    a court order left to the judge's own discretion

Everything marked in this scene

24 notes across 46 lines

Phrase · B2clarify someone's positionCould you please clarify the Globe's position for me, Mr. Albano?
Grammar · B1Could you please clarify

polite request with Could you

Could you please clarify the Globe's position for me, Mr. Albano?
Phrase · B2make something publicOur argument to make these documents public rests mainly on First Amendment grounds.
Phrase · C1on ... groundsOur argument to make these documents public rests mainly on First Amendment grounds.
Phrase · B1a number of thingsWe also have a number of other relevant arguments.
Phrase · C1a discretionary orderAfter all, Your Honor, this was a discretionary order.
Phrase · C1at someone's discretion

left to the judge's own judgment within the law

Yes, it was made at the Judge's discretion.
Grammar · B2it was made at the Judge's discretion

passive voice

Yes, it was made at the Judge's discretion.
Phrase · C1be sledding uphill

facing an easy task turned hard; struggling against the odds

Your boy Albano's sledding uphill.
Phrase · B2have a shot at somethingYou actually think you have a shot at winning this thing?
Phrase · B1would not comment"Globe reporter would not comment,
Phrase · C1an odd rationalizationHe had this really odd rationalization for it.
Phrase · B2fool around with someoneLike it was totally normal to fool around with little boys.
Slang · C1fool around with little boysLike it was totally normal to fool around with little boys.
Soundgo back

liaison

I'd really like to go back. I think he'd talk to us.
Phrase · B2stay focused on someone/somethingI want you to stay focused on the victims right now.
Soundwhen I was

liaison

Yeah, he was there when I was.
Phrase · C1tag someone with something

to pin something on someone; to hold one person responsible for everything

You don't get to tag the Cardinal with everything, Mr. Albano.
Grammar · B2You don't get to tag the Cardinal with everything

get to for entitlement

You don't get to tag the Cardinal with everything, Mr. Albano.
Soundget to

flap

You don't get to tag the Cardinal with everything, Mr. Albano.
Phrase · B2be a party to somethingJudge Sweeney, the Globe is not a party to this case,
Phrase · B2smear someone's nameIf Mr. Garabedian had not smeared the Cardinal's good name,
Grammar · C1If Mr. Garabedian had not smeared the Cardinal's good name

third conditional

If Mr. Garabedian had not smeared the Cardinal's good name,
Phrase · B2duly notedDuly noted, Mr. Garabedian.

Springfield Hearing on Sealed Records, explained

What's really going on

The hearing is less about the law than about framing. The Globe's lawyer builds his case on the First Amendment, but the fight is over who owns the story: the Church side insists the paper "just want to sell papers." What the judge actually polices is rhetoric - when the lawyer names the Cardinal, she cuts him off and orders him to say "the archdiocese" instead, protecting the office from being personally blamed. That small correction is the tell: the institution is being shielded even inside the courtroom. Meanwhile, the reporters outside trade notes on a witness and hold back, agreeing on "Just not yet" while they "stay focused on the victims," which sets up the bigger story still to come.

Theme

PowerThe judge shields the Cardinal by ordering the lawyer to name only the archdiocese, showing how institutions are protected.
JusticeA hearing over sealed records becomes a fight about what the public is allowed to know.

Listen for

  • go back — liaison
  • when I was — liaison
  • get to — flap
Like it was totally normal to fool around with little boys.

The line that captures the priest's chilling rationalization, treating abuse as ordinary.

I want you to stay focused on the victims right now.

An editor's instruction to keep the story on the people harmed, not the drama.

You don't get to tag the Cardinal with everything, Mr. Albano.

The judge's rebuke, insisting the Cardinal not be personally blamed for the Church's acts.

He didn't try and hide it at all.

A note that the priest made no effort to disguise what he did.

Questions about this scene

Why is the Globe in court?

It wants the sealed records about the Church made public, arguing mainly on First Amendment grounds.

Why does the judge tell the lawyer to say "the archdiocese"?

She does not want the Cardinal personally blamed for everything, so she orders the lawyer to name the institution instead of the man.

What does the Church's side argue?

That the Globe is not a party to the case and is only trying to sell newspapers, rather than serving the public interest.

Who is Father Talbot?

A priest who was reassigned, and a name that leads the reporters toward another victim, which the team decides to pursue later.

Spotlight · 21 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 15off the recordGarabedian Reveals the Sealed Documents
Chapter 1take a hard look atBaron Meets Robinson for a DrinkChapter 2file a motionMarty Baron's First News MeetingChapter 3have something on someoneLawyers Break Down the Geoghan CaseChapter 4think in centuriesRezendes Meets GarabedianChapter 5stand aloneMarty Baron Meets Cardinal LawChapter 6preyed uponPhil Saviano Tells His StoryChapter 7the beginning of it allReporters Interview Abuse SurvivorsChapter 8out of circulationPressuring Macleish on SettlementsChapter 9it takes a villageRezendes Meets the InformantChapter 10Good GermansSipe's Six Percent EstimateChapter 11off the estimateThe Team Counts 87 PriestsChapter 12cottage industryRobby Confronts MacleishChapter 13from the top downThe Team Goes After the SystemWatching · Chapter 14sledding uphillSpringfield Hearing on Sealed RecordsChapter 15off the recordGarabedian Reveals the Sealed DocumentsChapter 16get on the same pageReporters Confront Boston CollegeChapter 17broke ranksRobby Refuses to Rush the StoryChapter 18a few bad applesPete Pressures Robby Over DrinksChapter 19on a clockRobby Gets Six Weeks to PublishChapter 20lay something on someoneRobby Confronts His Old FriendChapter 21stumbling around in the darkThe Newsroom Finalizes the Story
Chapter 14 of 21 · about 21 min to go