Others in the mainstream media have said it before: after coining the term "fake news" and floating it as an explanation of how Hillary Clinton possibly could have lost the election (even President Obama addressed the epidemic of fake news during a press conference in Germany), they'd prefer that others — i.e., conservatives — not misuse or distort the term.

Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan, for one, writes that the term is tainted and should be retired. What once was meant to refer to fictional stories meant to influence the campaign, such as Pope Francis endorsing Donald Trump, is now used by the Right has shorthand for liberal B.S.

The term 'fake news' has had its 15 minutes of fame. Real problem; tainted label. Let's retire it. …. My column https://t.co/UwTcAZ7nIv

— Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) January 8, 2017

Sullivan's plan to correct the error is simple:

So, here's a modest proposal for the truth-based community.

Let's get out the hook and pull that baby off stage. Yes: Simply stop using it.