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
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Page ix
... talking to other insiders, when they take him to the mountaintop or walk back the cat and wonder if salami tactics ... talking heads, often including a big foot, sit gingerly on their talking points and toss off locutions like off the ...
... talking to other insiders, when they take him to the mountaintop or walk back the cat and wonder if salami tactics ... talking heads, often including a big foot, sit gingerly on their talking points and toss off locutions like off the ...
Page 6
... Talks), START became National Security Adviser Richard Allen's acronym for Strategic Arms Reductions Talks. That change had a rationale—object of the talks was to reduce, not merely limit, nuclear weapons—but the last “t”—for talks—pre ...
... Talks), START became National Security Adviser Richard Allen's acronym for Strategic Arms Reductions Talks. That change had a rationale—object of the talks was to reduce, not merely limit, nuclear weapons—but the last “t”—for talks—pre ...
Page 19
... talk about the 'free enterprise system' and run to cover in the folds of the flag and talk about the Ameri- can Way of Life.” unwitting dupe of the overseas bankers. A columnist noted that the superlawyer's defense against charges of ...
... talk about the 'free enterprise system' and run to cover in the folds of the flag and talk about the Ameri- can Way of Life.” unwitting dupe of the overseas bankers. A columnist noted that the superlawyer's defense against charges of ...
Page 34
... talks were on” between his country and India to resolve the Kashmir dispute. (When Bhutto returned to Pakistan in ... talk about you admiringly is a fan; one who will ring doorbells for you is a worker, or one of the TROOPS ; one who ...
... talks were on” between his country and India to resolve the Kashmir dispute. (When Bhutto returned to Pakistan in ... talk about you admiringly is a fan; one who will ring doorbells for you is a worker, or one of the TROOPS ; one who ...
Page 36
... instructed his aides not to talk publicly in terms of Catholic voting strength. Sorensen wrote in 1965: “The Bailey Memorandum oversimplified, overgeneralized and overextended its premise in order balance of power 37 AS YOU GO . to reach.
... instructed his aides not to talk publicly in terms of Catholic voting strength. Sorensen wrote in 1965: “The Bailey Memorandum oversimplified, overgeneralized and overextended its premise in order balance of power 37 AS YOU GO . to reach.
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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