Safire's Political DictionaryWhen it comes to the vagaries of language in American politics, its uses and abuses, its absurdities and ever-shifting nuances, its power to confound, obscure, and occasionally to inspire, William Safire is the language maven we most readily turn to for clarity, guidance, and penetrating, sometimes lacerating, wit. Safire's Political Dictionary is a stem-to-stern updating and expansion of the Language of Politics, which was first published in 1968 and last revised in 1993, long before such terms as Hanging Chads, 9/11 and the War on Terror became part of our everyday vocabulary. Nearly every entry in that renowned work has been revised and updated and scores of completely new entries have been added to produce an indispensable guide to the political language being used and abused in America today. Safire's definitions--discursive, historically aware, and often anecdotal--bring a savvy perspective to our colorful political lingo. Indeed, a Safire definition often reads like a mini-essay in political history, and readers will come away not only with a fuller understanding of particular words but also a richer knowledge of how politics works, and fails to work, in America. From Axis of Evil, Blame Game, Bridge to Nowhere, Triangulation, and Compassionate Conservatism to Islamofascism, Netroots, Earmark, Wingnuts and Moonbats, Slam Dunk, Doughnut Hole, and many others, this language maven explains the origin of each term, how and by whom and for what purposes it has been used or twisted, as well as its perceived and real significance. For anyone who wants to cut through the verbal haze that surrounds so much of American political discourse, Safire's Political Dictionary offers a work of scholarship, wit, insiderhood and resolute bipartisanship. |
From inside the book
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Page 9
... Senate to review appointments: “He [the President] shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls, etc.” The “advice” function soon atrophied and was ...
... Senate to review appointments: “He [the President] shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls, etc.” The “advice” function soon atrophied and was ...
Page 16
... Senator Henry Cabot Lodge in 1951, when he was the unof- ficial campaign manager for Eisenhower in battle against the “pros” behind Robert Taft. “The job of being a professional politician, in spite of the odium which some persons have ...
... Senator Henry Cabot Lodge in 1951, when he was the unof- ficial campaign manager for Eisenhower in battle against the “pros” behind Robert Taft. “The job of being a professional politician, in spite of the odium which some persons have ...
Page 26
... Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, a Democrat, an intellectual, and in 1966 Putin at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Rogov wrote that “America has the chairman of the Senate Foreign Rela- tions Committee, was skeptical ...
... Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, a Democrat, an intellectual, and in 1966 Putin at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Rogov wrote that “America has the chairman of the Senate Foreign Rela- tions Committee, was skeptical ...
Page 28
... senator and a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, as the In April 2007, a few days after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D- Nev.) said at a news conference, “this war is lost,” Cheney said, “It is cynical to declare ...
... senator and a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, as the In April 2007, a few days after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D- Nev.) said at a news conference, “this war is lost,” Cheney said, “It is cynical to declare ...
Page 53
... Senator Tydings in the next election. individuals who were here today.” In the late 1980s, Lee Atwater, the Republican National Chairman known for his slashing style in the 1988 Bush campaign, mellowed and advocated “a big-tent approach ...
... Senator Tydings in the next election. individuals who were here today.” In the late 1980s, Lee Atwater, the Republican National Chairman known for his slashing style in the 1988 Bush campaign, mellowed and advocated “a big-tent approach ...
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Common terms and phrases
action Administration aide American appeared applied asked attack became become began bill Bush called campaign candidate century charge City civil columnist Communist Congress conservative convention criticism deal defense Democratic described early economic Eisenhower election expression forces foreign former George give Governor head House idea included interest issue John Johnson Kennedy known later leader liberal major meaning ment metaphor military never Nixon nomination noted original party peace person phrase play political politicians popular position Post President presidential referred reported Republican Robert Roosevelt rule Secretary Senator sense speech talk term thing tion told took turn United usage usually Vice vote voters Washington White House word writer wrote York