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 70
Page iv
... Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Safire, William, 1929– Safire's political dictionary / William Safire. p. cm. Rev. ed. of: Safire's new political dictionary / by William Safire. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-19-534334-2; 978-0-19 ...
... Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Safire, William, 1929– Safire's political dictionary / William Safire. p. cm. Rev. ed. of: Safire's new political dictionary / by William Safire. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-19-534334-2; 978-0-19 ...
Page xvi
... Congress Fair Deal give 'em hell, Harry red herring Descriptions Marshall Plan Point Four Program Truman Doctrine five percenter government by crony Had Enough? influence peddler soft on Communism mess in Washington The Eisenhower years ...
... Congress Fair Deal give 'em hell, Harry red herring Descriptions Marshall Plan Point Four Program Truman Doctrine five percenter government by crony Had Enough? influence peddler soft on Communism mess in Washington The Eisenhower years ...
Page 5
... Congress) of Industrial Organizations, Arthur Krock wrote in The New York Times: “After all, as Huck Finn realized when he heard the Child of Calam- ity and the other braggart on the raft tell what they would do to each other—and didn't ...
... Congress) of Industrial Organizations, Arthur Krock wrote in The New York Times: “After all, as Huck Finn realized when he heard the Child of Calam- ity and the other braggart on the raft tell what they would do to each other—and didn't ...
Page 6
... Congress passed the USA Patriot Act, which few supporters knew stood for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.” President George W. Bush, in March of 2003 ...
... Congress passed the USA Patriot Act, which few supporters knew stood for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.” President George W. Bush, in March of 2003 ...
Page 14
... Congress five days after the Kennedy assassination and used alliteration subtly and effectively: “I profoundly hope that the tragedy and the torment of these terrible days will bind us together ...” an unknown quantity. Jonathan Daniels ...
... Congress five days after the Kennedy assassination and used alliteration subtly and effectively: “I profoundly hope that the tragedy and the torment of these terrible days will bind us together ...” an unknown quantity. Jonathan Daniels ...
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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