Plausible deniability is the ability to deny any involvement in illegal or unethical activities, because there is no clear evidence to prove involvement. The lack …
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 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 “Sister Souljah moment” is a public repudiation of an extremist person or statement perceived to have some association with a politician or his party.…
“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 …
A “demon sheep” is a sinister politician who pretends to be what he is not.
It’s a derogatory term related to Republicans who …
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 “slush fund” is an unregulated store of money which is often used for illicit or illegal purposes.
A slush fund can come from political …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 stump speech is a speech that a politician makes again and again as they travel to different places during a campaign.
The speech might …
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 …
In politics, a “safety net” – also known as a “social safety net” – refers to the welfare programs that are designed to provide benefits …
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 …
“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” …
“Arsenal of democracy” is a term that was first coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a radio address to the nation on …
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 …
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 …
The term “bean counter” is a slang term used to refer to individuals who are perceived as overly focused on financial or budgetary concerns, often …
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 …
The “Checkers speech” was a televised address given by then-Senator Richard Nixon on September 23, 1952 as he was fighting to retain his …
The term “bafflegab” is used to describe language or speech that is intentionally vague, misleading, or difficult to understand.
In politics, it is often used …
“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 …
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 …
“Soft power” is the ability to obtain what one wants through co-option rather than the use of coercion.
In recent years, the concept of soft …
Releasing bad news or documents on a Friday afternoon in an attempt to avoid media scrutiny is often called a “Friday news dump” by members …
“Bunk” is empty or nonsense talk.
In 1820, Rep. Felix Walker from Ashville, North Carolina justified his long-winded and somewhat irrelevant remarks about the Missouri …
An “autopsy report” is a comprehensive examination and analysis performed by a political party, organization, or think tank following an electoral defeat.
The primary objective …
The term “germane” is used to describe the requirement that proposed amendments or provisions introduced during the legislative process must be relevant and directly related …
The “spoils system” describes when a candidate wins election and then rewards campaign staffers and fundraisers by appointing them to prized jobs in the administration.…
“Beltway bandits” describes a private business or political entity that operates inside the Beltway, the interstate highway that encircles Washington, D.C.
More specifically, the …
A “Cherokee Strip” is the seating area in the U.S. Senate chamber when some members of the majority party mist sit on the side of …
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 …
A “flip-flop” is a sudden reversal of opinion or policy by a politician, usually running for office.
The term is often used pejoratively to suggest …
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 …
The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate each have a sergeant-at-arms, whose job it is to maintain order in the legislative chamber.
The sergeant-at-arms …
“Smell of jet fuel” is a reference to the impatience that sets in when Members of Congress are ready to leave Washington, D.C. to return …
The “Washington Read” is the phenomenon by which, through a form of intellectual osmosis, a book is absorbed “inside the Beltway.”
From the …