Word: downplay
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...supporters point to his Bitburg speech as a monument in European history because it came directly after President Reagan, and others, had sought to downplay the relevance of the Nazi years. To some, because 40 years have passed since the Third Reich was conquered, and because its successor government is an ally of the United States, the atrocities of the Nazis should not be inveighed so frequently...
...most fascinating aspects of the Hart affair is the reaction of other public figures. They downplay the importance of qualities like judgment and integrity and say we should focus on the issues. Well, we are not electing an issue. We are electing a man, and the bottom line in this matter is that Americans do not want a President who cheats on his wife...
Such statements reflect a new confidence on the part of the Sandinista leadership. Until now it has been standard practice to downplay rebel attacks, so as not to enhance the contras' standing inside Nicaragua. The admissions that contra disruptions are taking place suggest the comandantes no longer feel intimidated either by the rebels or, for that matter, by the Reagan Administration. For years the comandantes steadfastly denied that they paid attention to Washington's every move. Now they are less bashful. President Ortega, for instance, candidly admits that he watches U.S. television newscasts daily, and has followed the Iran-contra...
...does Edelman downplay the cost of that investment. As both the Reagan Administration and Congress have turned their attention toward welfare reform, Edelman has been warning against the delusion that the cycle of poverty and pregnancy can be broken quickly or cheaply. The intensive education and employment training that teens need both before and after childbearing "could incur equal or greater public costs than welfare," the C.D.F. reports. With teen pregnancy and poverty, says Edelman, "we are trying to change cultural + signals, to change the way people think -- and that doesn't happen overnight." That prospect will no doubt discourage...
Application forms from recruited athletes arrive at the Admissions Office with red stars. While some critics charge that such special demarcation sets athletes up for special attention, Jewett and Fitzsimmons downplay the significance of the red stars. In fact, they say, coaches are often completely unaware of athletic applicants until the Admissions Office informs them that a hot-shot high schooler has applied...