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 78
Page xx
... election-night television is tantamount to election. Words used to describe language have their own problems of fuzzy usage. “Jargon,” as used herein, is synonymous with “cliché” and “bromide,” as is illustrated in the Pentagonese entry ...
... election-night television is tantamount to election. Words used to describe language have their own problems of fuzzy usage. “Jargon,” as used herein, is synonymous with “cliché” and “bromide,” as is illustrated in the Pentagonese entry ...
Page 30
... election in Texas by the skin of his teeth, was given the sarcastic sobriquet “Landslide Lyndon.” in 1938—Berlin-Rome.” Newsweek added: “Central Europe regards the Rome-Berlin axis as an artificial structure.” In 1939, as war loomed ...
... election in Texas by the skin of his teeth, was given the sarcastic sobriquet “Landslide Lyndon.” in 1938—Berlin-Rome.” Newsweek added: “Central Europe regards the Rome-Berlin axis as an artificial structure.” In 1939, as war loomed ...
Page 40
... election morning pulling the lid part way back, so the bottom of the box could be seen, the judge, or one of them ... election to Nixon, Hall urged that Nixon declare the election “stolen” and dispute the result, which Nixon declined to ...
... election morning pulling the lid part way back, so the bottom of the box could be seen, the judge, or one of them ... election to Nixon, Hall urged that Nixon declare the election “stolen” and dispute the result, which Nixon declined to ...
Page 43
... election in which the incumbent Demo- crat, Martin Van Buren, was challenged by William Harrison, a Whig. In the course of the colorful “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” campaign, a Whig group in Louisiana prom- ised a banner to the state ...
... election in which the incumbent Demo- crat, Martin Van Buren, was challenged by William Harrison, a Whig. In the course of the colorful “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” campaign, a Whig group in Louisiana prom- ised a banner to the state ...
Page 44
... election of 1848. They bolted from the Democratic National Convention and joined the Free-Soilers; their combined vote swung the election to Whig Zachary Taylor. Their antislavery views led them into the Republican party in the mid ...
... election of 1848. They bolted from the Democratic National Convention and joined the Free-Soilers; their combined vote swung the election to Whig Zachary Taylor. Their antislavery views led them into the Republican party in the mid ...
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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