Alternative Facts
The term “alternative facts” was a phrase coined by White House adviser Kellyanne Conway to defend a false statement by press secretary Sean Spicer about …
The term “alternative facts” was a phrase coined by White House adviser Kellyanne Conway to defend a false statement by press secretary Sean Spicer about …
“Limousine liberal” is pejorative for wealthy liberals who do not want to bear the cost of the liberal policies they support.
It is typically used …
A “youthquake” is social, cultural, or political change brought about by young people.
The term encapsulates the increased political engagement, activism, and participation from the …
A “tracker” is an individual who is tasked with closely following and documenting the public appearances, speeches, and activities of a political candidate, particularly an …
A “bridge builder” is a politician or diplomat who actively works to create or improve relationships, foster cooperation, and promote understanding among diverse groups or …
Honest graft refers to the money-making opportunities that might arise while holding public office.
The activities are, strictly speaking, legal, although they might raise eyebrows …
An “attack dog” in politics is a person, usually a politician or a political operative, who is designated to aggressively challenge and criticize the opposition.…
“Amen corner” is a term used in politics to refer to a group of people or legislators who always support or agree with a particular …
An “ego wall” is where people flaunt their political connections by displaying photos of themselves with more famous people.
As Mike Nichols observed:
…“The ego
A “fixer” refers is someone who solves problems or handles difficult situations for a politician.
This person is typically well-connected, highly resourceful, and possesses a …
The term “goo goo” is short for “good government guys,” referring to people who would fight for government reform.
This was used during the 1970s …
“All things to all men” is a phrase applied to politicians who seem to be making contradictory promises and statements so that they can appeal …
A “bomb thrower” is used metaphorically to describe a person — often a politician or political operative — who uses provocative, inflammatory, or extreme rhetoric …
A “wave election” is a term used to describe a significant electoral shift in which one political party makes substantial gains in seats …
“Hiking the Appalachian Trail” is a euphemism for a politician who claims to be doing one thing but in reality went to meet with his …
The term “pol” is short for “politician” and is often used to refer to a person who is actively involved in politics, either as an
The New Frontier was the slogan which President John F. Kennedy used when setting out his vision of America’s future.
A DINO — or Democrat In Name Only — is a disparaging term that refers to a Democratic candidate whose political views are seen as …
“Misunderestimate” is a malapropism invented by President George W. Bush that has come to mean “to underestimate by mistake.”
Bush accidentally used the term in …
The term “cuckservative” is a pejorative used by alt-Right conservatives to insult moderate Republicans.
It implies they have sold out and is similar to the …
The “six-year itch” is the election held in the sixth year of a president’s tenure.
In this election, the party holding the White House historically …
“The Great Mentioner” describes the phenomenon whereby certain people are “mentioned” to journalists as possible candidates for higher office.
It suggests that being mentioned or …
A “lid” is what White House press secretaries use to indicate that there will be no news coming out of the White House …
The Hastert rule is an informal guiding principle for leaders in the House of Representatives that dictates a majority of the majority party support any …
The term “lame duck” in politics refers to an elected official whose successor has already been elected or will be soon, and who is in …
A “boondoggle” is a wasteful or extravagant project with no practical value.
Usually, a boondoggle makes use of public funds and carries at least a …
The “Washington Monument strategy” is named after a tactic used by the National Park Service to threaten closure of the popular Washington Monument when lawmakers …
A firehouse primary is a candidate nominating contest funded and overseen by a local party organization rather than public election officials.
A standard primary is …
A “wonk” is a person preoccupied with arcane details of public policy and governance.
For instance, a policy wonk takes an intense interest in the …
When it’s time to leave a race for public office, candidates often announce their “suspended campaign” instead of actually dropping out.
Practically speaking, there is …
A party convention in which delegates are able to vote for the candidate of their choice, and are not tied to the results of primaries …
A “grifter” is a con artist, someone who obtains money by swindling or tricking others.
In politics, the word refers to people who use the …
A “by-election” is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections.
Typically, they occur when the incumbent …
A barnstormer travels around the country or state making political appearances during a political campaign.
The events are typically set up by an advance man…
A “money blurt” is the strategy of using a politician’s controversial statements to attract a large number of campaign donors.
The Washington Post explains how …
A “robocall” is an automated telephone call that delivers a prerecorded message to multiple phone numbers. Typically, robocalls are used for mass messaging.
Robocalls are …
A “Dorothy Dixer” is a planted or pre-arranged question asked of a government minister by a backbencher of his or her own political party during …
“Roorback” is a false, dirty or slanderous story used for political advantage, usually about a candidate seeking political office.
It’s a classic dirty trick.…
“Astrotweeting” is the creation of fake Twitter profiles to show support for a political candidate.
Bill White described the practice in an Texas Monthly interview …
A “backbencher” is a junior member in the British House of Commons who occupies the back benches of Parliament, sitting behind party leaders and top …
A jungle primary is an election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party.
It’s also known …
“Chicago-style politics” is a phrase used to characterize a supposedly offensive tough, “take-no-prisoners” or “hardball” approach to politics.
It often refers more specifically …
The “plumbers” were a covert White House Special Investigations Unit established during the presidency of Richard Nixon.
The group’s task was to stop …
Realpolitik is a system of politics based on concrete, practical goals, rather than on morality or abstract ideals.
The Financial Times notes that in realpolitik, …
“Borking” is attacking a person’s reputation and views for the purposes of denying them a political appointment.
Borking is characterized by intense scrutiny …
A “Mae West hold” is a type of Senate hold nicknamed because of the senator’s implied desire to make a deal, rather than block a …
“Frugging” is an unethical fundraising tactic where a telemarketer falsely claims to be a researcher conducting a poll, when in reality the “researcher” is attempting …
To be “thrown under the bus” is to be sacrificed by someone hoping to avoid blame themselves, often in order to make political gain.
It …
A “steamroller” is someone who brings something about by means of brute political might.
A politician might be said to steamroll the opposition, or even …
A “pen and pad briefing” is a briefing held by lawmakers or White House officials at which video and photography is not allowed.
It’s similar …
“Dummymander” is a play on the term “gerrymander,” and it refers to a redrawing of a district map that actually ends up benefiting …
“Kingfish” is the nickname for Huey P. Long, the one-time governor of Louisiana.
Long was a divisive figure who played a larger than life role …
Agitprop is political propaganda, especially in the form of art or literature, which is used to advance a political stance.
A portmanteau of …
A brokered convention takes place when no one candidate wins a majority delegates during the presidential primary to earn their party’s nomination in …
The term “party faithful” refers to individuals who demonstrate unwavering loyalty and commitment to a specific political party.
These individuals are dedicated supporters and advocates …
“Morning in America” is a phrase from a 1984 political ad for President Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign to evoke a renewed American economic and social …
GOTV is an acronym for “get out the vote” or increasing voter turnout in an election.
It involves various activities and initiatives to …
A “gadfly” is an individuals who, through persistent questioning or criticism, challenge established norms, policies, or institutions.
Their is often to provoke thought, stimulate debate, …
A “motion to vacate” the chair is a parliamentary procedure in the House of Representatives that allows a member to propose a resolution to remove …
To “poison the well” is to pre-emptively present adverse information to an audience, with the intention of discrediting or ridiculing what another politician intends to …
To “smear” someone is to spread lies and false accusations in an attempt to hurt their public image.
Smearing is similar to mudslinging, but with …
“Bundlers” refers to individuals or organizations that raise large sums of money from multiple donors to support a political campaign or cause.
These bundlers are …
“Ping pong” refers to reconciling the differences between a House-passed bill and a Senate-passed bill by amendments between the chambers, rather than forming a conference …
The “Richards effect” is the phenomenon in which polls consistently underestimate support for female candidates relative to white male candidates.
The termed was coined by …
The “professional left” consists of left-leaning political pundits, paid activists, and the heads of progressive institutions.
Critics might use the term to highlight a perceived …
A Rose Garden campaign is when an incumbent president takes advantage of the power and prestige of his office to help him run for re-election.…
A “money bomb” is an intense grassroots online fundraising effort over a brief fixed time period to support a candidate for election.
This …
A “press gaggle” is an informal briefing by the White House press secretary that, unlike a backgrounder, is on the record.
However, video recording …
A “Sister Souljah moment” is a public repudiation of an extremist person or statement perceived to have some association with a politician or his party.…
“Smoke and mirrors” are tricks used to obscure the truth, usually through distraction, misdirection, or partial truths.
The tactic can also be used to draw …
To “Akinize” is to try to diminish a political foe by likening his or her words to remarks on “legitimate rape” made by …
Psephology is the scientific study and statistical analysis of elections and voting.
Through employing various quantitative methods and data analysis, psephologists seek to …
A “Senate hold” is how a U.S. senator informally signals his objection to a bill or presidential nomination.
Most congressional actions clear parliamentary hurdles by …
Lettermarking is when lawmakers send letters to government agencies in an attempt to direct money to projects in their home districts.
This practice allows legislators …
A “demon sheep” is a sinister politician who pretends to be what he is not.
It’s a derogatory term related to Republicans who …
The term “oppo” refers to opposition research, a crucial activity undertaken by political entities to collect information on adversaries that could be used to their …
A phrase used by Vice President Spiro Agnew to refer to the members of the media with whom he had a very acrimonious …
“You’re no Jack Kennedy” is a phrase used to deflate politicians who are perceived as thinking too highly of themselves.
The words come from the …
In politics, a “safety net” – also known as a “social safety net” – refers to the welfare programs that are designed to provide benefits …
Blue-slipping is a term that originates from the United States Congress and refers to a procedural action taken by the House of Representatives to assert …
A “heck of a job” is a complete and total screw-up.
It’s used, ironically, to show when one’s view of a situation is in contradiction …
Plausible deniability is the ability to deny any involvement in illegal or unethical activities, because there is no clear evidence to prove involvement.…
A “gotcha question” is one posed by a reporter in an effort to trick a politician into looking stupid or saying something damaging.
These questions …
A patriot is a person who loves, supports, and defends one’s country.
The term “patriot” is derived from the Latin word “patriota,” which means “fellow …
A “spoiler” is a candidate who has no chance of winning, but whose candidacy still impacts the outcome of the election.
A spoiler candidate …
A “shadow cabinet” is formed when the opposition party in a parliamentary system appoints members to serve in each of the cabinet-level positions — even …
The “Eleventh Commandment” refers to the adage, “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.”
This unwritten rule encourages party unity by discouraging public criticism …
A “slush fund” is an unregulated store of money which is often used for illicit or illegal purposes.
A slush fund can come from political …
An annual picnic in Fancy Farm, Kentucky that has come to represent the traditional starting point of the fall campaign season in Kentucky.
The gathering …
Godwin’s Law is a term first promulgated in 1990 by author and lawyer Mike Godwin.
Originally intended as a lesson in information “memetics,” or how …
A “kangaroo ticket” is a ticket for higher office in which the person at the bottom of the ticket is considered more electable or is …
“Dark money” describes political donations that are made by individuals or organizations in a way that hides their identity from the public.
In the United …
The “Checkers speech” was a televised address given by then-Senator Richard Nixon on September 23, 1952 as he was fighting to retain his …
A “gypsy moth Republican” is a pejorative term used by conservative Republicans to describe a moderate members of their party who represent a Northeastern or …
A stump speech is a speech that a politician makes again and again as they travel to different places during a campaign.
The speech might …
Aardvarking is recruiting candidates for public office with the main objective of having their names begin with the letter A.
The practice of aardvarking is …
“Arsenal of democracy” is a term that was first coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a radio address to the nation on …
To have your opponent by the “short hairs” means that you’ve got them in a tight spot, and they are at your mercy.
If you’re …
“Filling the tree” is a procedure used by the Senate Majority Leader to offer a sufficient number of amendments on legislation to “fill the tree” …
In the second half of the 20th century, the Republican party used the so-called “Southern strategy” to win the votes of white southerners.
White southerners …
A leak in politics is the spread of secret, often unfavorable, news about a politician to the media by someone in his or her inner …