"row back" -- eggcorn?

[Victor Steinbok]

Metro is an oddball publication with a mix of reporters from different
walks of life--and different backgrounds. Would not be too surprising to
find a Brit, Indian or Pakistani writing among them.

Standard poli-speak in this situation is "walk-back", so the metaphor is
nearly the same. "Roll back" has an entirely different meaning that does
NOT imply taking back something that was said or scaling down the impact
of the comment. It /would/ apply, however, if Pistole ordered a return
to earlier procedures--that would most certainly be a "roll back".

It sounds more obscure than eggcornish and other comments prove it.

     VS-)

On 11/23/2010 4:45 PM, Joel S. Berson wrote:
> Another gem from today's MetroBoston (p, 6, col. 3), article on
> possible TSA reconsideration of air passenger screening methods:
>
> "Coming amid public and political pressure, Pistole's comments
> appeared to row back from a Sunday interview in which he said there
> were no plans to scale back procedures that travelers have criticized
> as invasive and a violation of privacy rights."
>
> I can only guess that "roll back" was sought for and not found.
>
> Joel

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