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
Results 1-5 of 74
Page 33
... White House.” But even within FOGGY BOTTOM negotiations may be conducted through different conduits. Thus, Secretary of State George Shultz made a fine distinc- tion when he said in 1984 that “private dip- lomatic efforts” to explore ...
... White House.” But even within FOGGY BOTTOM negotiations may be conducted through different conduits. Thus, Secretary of State George Shultz made a fine distinc- tion when he said in 1984 that “private dip- lomatic efforts” to explore ...
Page 34
... White House correspondents been used.” accompanying him to a free-wheeling threeThe noun phrase and compound adjective have been embraced by English-speaking diplomats on the Indian subcontinent. In 2006, former Pakistani prime minister ...
... White House correspondents been used.” accompanying him to a free-wheeling threeThe noun phrase and compound adjective have been embraced by English-speaking diplomats on the Indian subcontinent. In 2006, former Pakistani prime minister ...
Page 39
... White House release of October 25, 1945, delicately put it: “It seemed inappropriate to President Roosevelt for the flag of the Commander in Chief to have only four stars when there were five stars in the flags of Fleet Admirals and ...
... White House release of October 25, 1945, delicately put it: “It seemed inappropriate to President Roosevelt for the flag of the Commander in Chief to have only four stars when there were five stars in the flags of Fleet Admirals and ...
Page 48
... White House'; it seems to be a branch of government.” level of violence” and “passage of legislation by the Iraqi parliament to fairly divide the nation's oil resources among Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds” were two of the most frequently ...
... White House'; it seems to be a branch of government.” level of violence” and “passage of legislation by the Iraqi parliament to fairly divide the nation's oil resources among Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds” were two of the most frequently ...
Page 50
... White House aide John Ehrlichman informed the author from his incarceration in 1977. “I've Etymologist David Shulman tracked the term to a 1909 book, The Wayfarer in New York, by Edward Martin: “It [the Mid-West] cooked my own ...
... White House aide John Ehrlichman informed the author from his incarceration in 1977. “I've Etymologist David Shulman tracked the term to a 1909 book, The Wayfarer in New York, by Edward Martin: “It [the Mid-West] cooked my own ...
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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