Slander vs. Libel People often confuse slander and libel. The key difference is in the medium. A slanderous statement is made verbally.

[These statements cannot form the basis for a libel lawsuit] because they are opinions. Statements indicating a political opponent is a Nazi or coward are "odious and repugnant" and far too common ...

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin leaving the Manhattan federal courthouse on April 17, 2025, on the third day of her libel retrial against the New York Times. (Josh Russell/Courthouse News Service) ...