tag-team hold
A tag-team hold is when two or more senators agree to circumvent a 2011 resolution limiting secret senate holds to two days.
One senator will inform his party leader of his intent to place a hold. Before two days pass, …
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talking points
“Talking points” are a clear and concise list of ideas making up a politician’s main arguments in a stump speech. They’re typically used as a guide and not read word-for-word.
William Safire noted that he first heard the phrase …
teabaggers
A term “teabaggers” is a derogatory nickname used to refer to supporters of the conservative “Tea Party” movement.
CBS News: “It’s the sort of word you might expect to hear from a smirking 14-year-old boy: Critics of the Tea …
Teflon president
The term “Teflon president” describes a president who has a seemingly magical ability to avoid blame. A Teflon president is so charismatic that — like a Teflon pan — nothing unwanted can stick to him. No matter how much …
tell it like it is
“Tell it like it is” is a common phrase used by politicians who want to highlight their own supposed candor.
Politicians who are “straight shooters” like to say that they “tell it like it is” without sugar coating any tough …
that dog won’t hunt
“That dog won’t hunt” is a dismissive phrase, used to mean that a particular idea or approach is going to fail.
The expression can also mean that a certain accusation is false.
The phrase likely originated in the South and …
third-rate burglary
“Third-rate burglary” is a phrase which President Richard Nixon’s press secretary used to describe the Watergate break-in.
In June 1972, five men were arrested while trying to break in to the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate Hotel, in …
thousand points of light
A “thousand points of light” was slogan used frequently by former president George H.W. Bush to praise volunteerism and individualism.
Bush first used the phrase in his 1988 speech accepting the Republican nomination to the White House. In that speech, …
three martini lunch
A “three martini lunch” is a long, leisurely lunch, usually associated with either business or backroom political dealings.
The three martini lunch had its heyday in the middle of the 20th century, when attitudes about alcohol were more relaxed. It …
thrown under the bus
To be “thrown under the bus” is to be sacrificed by someone hoping to avoid blame themselves, often in order to make political gain.
Newsweek: “In general, ‘thrown under the bus’ is a metaphor for what happens when someone …
torch has been passed
“The torch has been passed” is one of the most famous lines of John F. Kennedy’s presidency.
In 1961, in his inaugural speech, Kennedy spoke about the legacy of the American revolution:
…We dare not forget today that we
trial balloon
A “trial balloon” describes a test of public opinion or reaction to a particular idea, proposal or policy.
It is done by releasing information about the idea or proposal to the public, typically through leaking to the media, in
triangulation
“Triangulation” is when a political candidate presents his or her views as being above and between the left and right sides of the political spectrum.
It’s sometimes called the “third way.”
The term was first used by political …
trickle down theory
“Trickle down theory” is a derisive term for the idea that giving benefits to large, powerful people and companies can yield benefits for society as a whole.
Trickle down theory is also known as “trickle down economics.”
The theory got …
turkey farm
In politics, a “turkey farm” refers to a government agency or department that is staffed primarily with political appointments and other patronage hires. In particular, it is used to refer to hires that are underqualified but are put in …
twenty years of treason
“Twenty years of treason” was a catchphrase used by Sen. Joseph McCarthy to denounce alleged communist sympathizers serving in the US government.
McCarthy was first elected to the US Senate in 1946. In 1950, the Wisconsin native made headlines when …