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Sometimes, words fail me. And sometimes, they fail professional journalists. In article on the White Sox victory parade, we find this gem:

Some clamored onto light poles and utility boxes for a better view while dozens stood perched on the oversized windowsills of City Hall along the parade route.

Uh, no.

Clamor, according to dictionary.com, is a loud outcry.

The root word the author was presumably fumbling for was clamber, which means “To climb with difficulty, especially on all fours.” While the words look similar, they really couldn’t be much different in meaning. It’s rather astonishing to see this float past who knows how many editors and make it onto the AP wire with this verbal faux pas.