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 79
Page 20
... vote after nearly two weeks of debate by invoking CLOTURE on June 8, 2007, but got only 45 of the 60 votes needed to pass this motion. In subsequent votes, only a dozen Republican senators stuck with their president, effec- tively ...
... vote after nearly two weeks of debate by invoking CLOTURE on June 8, 2007, but got only 45 of the 60 votes needed to pass this motion. In subsequent votes, only a dozen Republican senators stuck with their president, effec- tively ...
Page 30
... votes rather than people, and the New York Tri- bune wrote in 1888 of the Vermont Demo- crats being “buried under an ... vote difference is considerable, is a landslide without an avalanche. Powers were the opponents of the Allied Powers ...
... votes rather than people, and the New York Tri- bune wrote in 1888 of the Vermont Demo- crats being “buried under an ... vote difference is considerable, is a landslide without an avalanche. Powers were the opponents of the Allied Powers ...
Page 34
... vote is, is a backer—in substantial sums, a FAT CAT. A general term covering all these activities is a supporter, or a (name of candidate) man. The collective term is following. and the publishers of William Manchester's book The Death ...
... vote is, is a backer—in substantial sums, a FAT CAT. A general term covering all these activities is a supporter, or a (name of candidate) man. The collective term is following. and the publishers of William Manchester's book The Death ...
Page 36
... voted for Eisenhower in 1952. The memo held that a vice presidential nominee of the Catholic faith would do more to swing states with large electoral-vote totals into the Democratic column than any non-Catholic candidate from the south ...
... voted for Eisenhower in 1952. The memo held that a vice presidential nominee of the Catholic faith would do more to swing states with large electoral-vote totals into the Democratic column than any non-Catholic candidate from the south ...
Page 39
... votes into the ballot box, with or without the connivance of local election officials. 40 ballyhoo VOTE The practice flourished in the days of.
... votes into the ballot box, with or without the connivance of local election officials. 40 ballyhoo VOTE The practice flourished in the days of.
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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