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 73
Page xi
... leader” is not, but whip is; “vice president” is not, though veep, Throttlebottom, and heartbeat away from the Presidency are; ''president” is not, but awesome burden, loneliest job in the world, and POTUS are; “diplomat” is not, but ...
... leader” is not, but whip is; “vice president” is not, though veep, Throttlebottom, and heartbeat away from the Presidency are; ''president” is not, but awesome burden, loneliest job in the world, and POTUS are; “diplomat” is not, but ...
Page 7
... leader George Meany, in the same speech defined “mili- tancy” as “an attention-getting device most successfully and easily employed by spear- ing one's colleagues for the titillation of the press.” is one who presses for the idea of ...
... leader George Meany, in the same speech defined “mili- tancy” as “an attention-getting device most successfully and easily employed by spear- ing one's colleagues for the titillation of the press.” is one who presses for the idea of ...
Page 20
... leader, and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), a strong con- servative, charged that another reason for me to have someone who serves as a link to the Roosevelt and Truman administrations; also an older man. I don't want the Convention to think we're ...
... leader, and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), a strong con- servative, charged that another reason for me to have someone who serves as a link to the Roosevelt and Truman administrations; also an older man. I don't want the Convention to think we're ...
Page 37
... leader of Typical considerations in balancing a ticket: the nominees' personal compatibility, geographic origin, race, sex, religion, type of experience, position on specific issues, phys- ical appearance together, and COLORATION . In ...
... leader of Typical considerations in balancing a ticket: the nominees' personal compatibility, geographic origin, race, sex, religion, type of experience, position on specific issues, phys- ical appearance together, and COLORATION . In ...
Page 46
... leader,” wrote Jack Germond and Jules Wit- cover in 1977, “has always been his massive self-assurance, his total confidence that no one would believe him capable of political knavery or personal weakness. But in the Bert Lance case ...
... leader,” wrote Jack Germond and Jules Wit- cover in 1977, “has always been his massive self-assurance, his total confidence that no one would believe him capable of political knavery or personal weakness. But in the Bert Lance case ...
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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