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 80
Page 10
... nomination of Theodore Sorensen to be Director of Central Intelli- gence, which caused the famed Kennedy speechwriter to withdraw. Army described reserve divisions formed by “Turkish military authorities and their German military ...
... nomination of Theodore Sorensen to be Director of Central Intelli- gence, which caused the famed Kennedy speechwriter to withdraw. Army described reserve divisions formed by “Turkish military authorities and their German military ...
Page 17
... nomination in 1960: “I can only say tonight to you that I believe in the American dream because I have seen it come true in my skeleton and the American Dream the soul of the American body politic. The phrase own life.” See I HAVE A ...
... nomination in 1960: “I can only say tonight to you that I believe in the American dream because I have seen it come true in my skeleton and the American Dream the soul of the American body politic. The phrase own life.” See I HAVE A ...
Page 20
... nomination in 1960, he sought to heal the wounds within the party, especially those of older Democrats Harry Truman and Averell Harriman, who would have preferred Stuart Symington or Adlai Stevenson. The nominee explained why he wanted ...
... nomination in 1960, he sought to heal the wounds within the party, especially those of older Democrats Harry Truman and Averell Harriman, who would have preferred Stuart Symington or Adlai Stevenson. The nominee explained why he wanted ...
Page 27
... nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. A former aide to farewell in 2007: “I was, and remain, as a Thomas, Anita Hill, accused the nominee person and a prime minister, an optimist. Politics may be 'the art of the possible ...
... nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. A former aide to farewell in 2007: “I was, and remain, as a Thomas, Anita Hill, accused the nominee person and a prime minister, an optimist. Politics may be 'the art of the possible ...
Page 67
... nomination, the lack of which, in some cases, results in withdrawal of a nomination. in 2003. If both senators blue-slip a nomination, though, it is almost certainly dead no matter which party is in the majority. The term gained a more ...
... nomination, the lack of which, in some cases, results in withdrawal of a nomination. in 2003. If both senators blue-slip a nomination, though, it is almost certainly dead no matter which party is in the majority. The term gained a more ...
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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