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 75
Page 21
... Interest, and Money. Lord Keynes sup- ported this risk-taking: “If the animal spirits are dimmed and the spontaneous optimism told Defense News of his message to American troops in his country: “Don't let the ankle-biters get to you ...
... Interest, and Money. Lord Keynes sup- ported this risk-taking: “If the animal spirits are dimmed and the spontaneous optimism told Defense News of his message to American troops in his country: “Don't let the ankle-biters get to you ...
Page 34
... interest in politics. I went to him and said: 'Tommy, I'm goin' to be a politician, and I want to get a followin'; can I count on you?' He said, 'Sure, George.' That's how I started in business. I got a mar- ketable commodity—one vote ...
... interest in politics. I went to him and said: 'Tommy, I'm goin' to be a politician, and I want to get a followin'; can I count on you?' He said, 'Sure, George.' That's how I started in business. I got a mar- ketable commodity—one vote ...
Page 45
... interest rates, The “Something seems to have gone off the rails between President Bush and his base,” noted National Public Radio com- mentator and Christian Science Monitor columnist Daniel Schorr as early as May of 2006; the 90-year ...
... interest rates, The “Something seems to have gone off the rails between President Bush and his base,” noted National Public Radio com- mentator and Christian Science Monitor columnist Daniel Schorr as early as May of 2006; the 90-year ...
Page 47
... firms, trade associations, interest groups and labor unions—known collectively as K Street,” wrote Jeffrey Birnbaum in The Washington Post just before congressional 48 benchmarks elections in 2006, “have experienced a quantum leap.
... firms, trade associations, interest groups and labor unions—known collectively as K Street,” wrote Jeffrey Birnbaum in The Washington Post just before congressional 48 benchmarks elections in 2006, “have experienced a quantum leap.
Page 48
... interest groups and national corporation offices are fever- ishly working to affect parts of [President Reagan's] budget. Their activity illustrates an important point about power in Wash- ington: Saying 'K Street' is almost like say ...
... interest groups and national corporation offices are fever- ishly working to affect parts of [President Reagan's] budget. Their activity illustrates an important point about power in Wash- ington: Saying 'K Street' is almost like say ...
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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