Understatement raised to a zen art

In the Oregonian's front-page article today about the attempts by Paul Allen's Blazers to finagle some kind of "partnership" with state or local government to bail out the historically money- and game-losing franchise, there's this breathtaking bit of understatement:

The team is approaching state and local government when purse strings are tight and fan support is low. It also faces a public relations challenge in persuading government officials to consider giving any financial assistance to Allen, the seventh richest man in the world.

"Public relations challenge"--now that's a generous description if I've ever seen one.

It kind of makes you wonder about all those people who were so deeply offended by the comparatively insignificant public expense of financing city council campaigns while there were still un-filled potholes on their street: Will we hear them attack this corporate welfare scheme with the same gusto for its folly and chutzpah? Or will they decide that pouring public money down a rathole like this is actually a matter of civic pride?

Stay tuned.