floundering

His attorneys claimed the FBI tipped the media to searches of Hatfill's home to deflect attention from what they characterize as a floundering anthrax investigation and violated Hatfill's privacy with 24-hour surveillance and wire taps.

CNN Transcript Aug 26, 2003 2003

The way the Repugs are obstructing and the way Dems are floundering is pissing off everyone.

Think Progress » Republicans Whine After Reid Scraps Jobs Bill That They Said ‘Does Not Create One Job’ 2010

The word floundering must have started as a fishy blund (not too infelicitous) for foundering (with blundering, according to the American Heritage Dictionary), but it has survived and has not completely supplanted the word foundering itself.

VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol VII No 3 1980

Weighing in from her uncharacteristically muted post at State, Secretary Rice took time today to personally hawk Petraeus 'and the administration's September dodge, calling the floundering Maliki regime a "work in progress."

Bloody Prelude to a September Alibi in Iraq 2007

The snow was pouring so hard that he could scarcely see, but he heard a sound to his right, and presently he was able to discern an immense stag floundering in some undergrowth in which its hoofs seemed to be caught.

The Eyes of the Woods A story of the Ancient Wilderness 1890

"The government is simply floundering, that is how many people are describing it," our correspondent said.

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE) 2010

I'm not sure I agree that the show is "floundering" -- although you made some excellent points in your post on that topic after "Lay Your Burdens...

How Is This a Bad Idea? Let Me Count the Ways Abigail Nussbaum 2006

Although there may have been rationale in the 1800s for the construction of the pier, initiated by Oaxaca-born President Benito Juarez, its reconstruction was another ill-considered venture of Federal District bureaucracy to inject life or at least hope into yet another "floundering" seaside economy.

Mexico's endless Pacific beach: sun, surf, sand, seafood and solitude 2009

Although there may have been rationale in the 1800s for the construction of the pier, initiated by Oaxaca-born President Benito Juarez, its reconstruction was another ill-considered venture of Federal District bureaucracy to inject life or at least hope into yet another "floundering" seaside economy.

Mexico's endless Pacific beach: sun, surf, sand, seafood and solitude 2009

Mr. Pataki, the state's chief executive for 12 years, said New York has been "floundering" under Democratic control.

Pataki Endorses Lazio in New York Governor's Race Michael Howard Saul 2010