Hardball by Chris Matthews / Notes (Summer 2015) – Flashcards
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How did Chris start out in politics?
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he had a romance w/ politics (17) and just hungered for news and loved the political race/debate aspect, interesting personalities
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started out as a neophyte / what's a neophyte?
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(a rookie)
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anthropology
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study of culture of man / habits
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paraphernalia
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objects or items or rituals/ideas/customs/beliefs involved in an activity or institution
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spin
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In public relations, spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through providing a biased interpretation of an event or campaigning to persuade public opinion in favor or against some organization or public figure. While traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of the facts, "spin" often implies the use of disingenuous, deceptive, and highly manipulative tactics.[1] (Wikipedia)
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machinations
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crafty schemes; plots; intrigues.
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politics
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polis / Greek for city
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seductive
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DUCT Latin for draw, lead
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tongue-in-cheek (idiom)
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characterized by insincerity, irony, or whimsical exaggeration
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irony is plentiful in life, esp. politics
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IRONY!
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shrewd
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cunning (FOX = Mach.)
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coterie
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a small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive of other people
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exultant
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triumphant
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altruism
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kindness, philanthropy
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Chapter 1 Theme
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It's not who you know, it's who you get to know
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Chapter 2 Theme
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All politics is local
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Chapter 3 Theme
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It's better to receive than to give
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Chapter 4 Theme
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Loyalty is everything in this business- no one trusts a traitor / Benedict Arnold (had a good reason to change sides?), Politician X may have a "good" reason but the side he switches to wants him prove himself"
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Chapter 5 Theme
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Keep Your Enemies in Front of You
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Chapter 6 Theme
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Don't get mad, don't even get even...get ahead
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Chapter 7 Theme
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Leave no shot unanswered
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Chapter 8 Theme
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Only talk when it improves the silence
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Chapter 9 Theme
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Always Concede on Principal
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Chapter 10 Theme
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Hang a Lantern on your Problem
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Chapter 11 Theme
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Spin
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Chapter 12 Theme
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The Press the Enemy
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Ch. 13 Theme
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"the reputation of power is power" ~thomas hobbes
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Ch. 14 Theme
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Positioning
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Nixon: the press
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the enemy
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press
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different system than the political one
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Chapter 14
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Positioning
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Triangulation
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three points of a triangle... a strategy to help you politically...
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Abate
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let up, stop
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Jack Benny timing
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?
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Barb
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a sharp spike, (like the ___ed wire fence), a joke that jabs at someone
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Tainted
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dirtied, stained, biased
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Reputable
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with a good reputation
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Bookend to the narrative
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Johnson is at beginning of book and Reagan at end
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debonair
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(of a man) confident, stylish, and charming
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Nixon opinion of the press...
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the press is the enemy
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crown of thorns
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Biblical allusion
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layman
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not a skilled professional, an everyday person not in a particular field
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larceny
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theft
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media-wise pol.
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someone who knows how the media works and how to work the media
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whistle-blower
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a snitch, a nark
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Miranda Rights
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right when you are arrested, you must be read your _________ /"you have the right to..."
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being conversant
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able to speak about ____, able to speak a certain language
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explicitly
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overtly
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a mental set of stoppers
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?
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lingo
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the language of a particular field
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treading the edge of disaster
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on the edge of chaos
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dry up a good source
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you can't use that source (in media, etc) any more because you have ruined your relationship with them
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"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!"
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if you aren't prepared to suffer the consequences, then don't do that thing you were thinking of doing
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police analogy for the press
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policemen always on duty
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ethnic slur
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making a bad joke or statement about the race/culture of someone
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Hymie/Hymietown?
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NY was called this by Jesse Jackson, but why?
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Better to be paranoid...
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it is better to be on your guard
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kid-glove treatment
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treating gently
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upscale
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fancy, rich, etc.
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rumination
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thinking / meditating on something
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press
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different system than the political one
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relic, the tired relic
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Ted Kennedy
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budget summit of 1982
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didn't reduce the deficit / it was a meeting to talk about the national budget
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volatile
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reference to Social Security program, means that something is liable to blow up or explode
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tamper with
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mess with or change in some way
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public-relations foreplay
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that's something pols can teach the everyday citizen
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political snows of '68
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snow? like NH primary perhaps (snowy state)
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gleaned a substantial vote
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(farming term = glean, to pick up or harvest) get a lot of votes
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a blunter cousin of spin
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lowballing
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a seasoned press spokesman
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one with experience (lots)
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conventional wisdom
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what was thought as wise at the time by the public
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a last hurrah
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the last time that some group/person can have an influence
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forlorn
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depressed, sad
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juggernaut
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an Indian term originally, meaning the _____
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"Rose Garden Strategy"
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Carter's strategy (?)
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buoyed by
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encouraged by
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win by divine right
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win because God wills it (divine right of kings, meaning that the Kennedy family was like a royal dynasty)
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stalemate
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a tie
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partisan
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adj. referring to distinct politically parties
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the worst thing a politician can do
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to promise and not deliver
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subjugated
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under the control of
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the smartest thing anyone in responsibility/authority can do
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set a modest short-term goal
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David is still getting good publicity for beating Goliath
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refers to Ronald Reagan/George Bush's strategist Lee Atwater / a Bible story allusion
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sandbagging
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?
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nail to the political coffin
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you are dead, so dead... :(
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lowballing and sandbagging
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principle is to create a handicapping system that makes any success of yours seem bigger than it is and your opponent's victory much smaller
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creating new commandments
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allusion to 10 Commandments
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the aura of battlefield hero
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the air of Eisenhower, a veteran who served as general in WWII
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Kennedy family's adoring legions
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the loads of people who loved this "dynasty"
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arbitrary
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seemingly random, coming out of the air and not based on something you can point to
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gusto
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passion for something
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Moses-like
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the Jewish leader from Bible who led Jews out of Egypt (Biblical allusion)
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Eleventh Commandment according to Reagan
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"Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican"
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infamy
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fame for something bad, bad reputation
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flak
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criticism
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proclivity
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a great skill
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hot potato (Reagan flipped the hot potato to his staff)
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an idiom for a hot issue or controversial thing that is hard to deal with
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outflank
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military term
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underdog
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the guy who isn't popular / rich / cool / etc.
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final punch to the midsection
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a last hit to the stomach
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Inchon landing
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used as a metaphor for an outflanking maneuver in politics (Chris Matthews)
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pilloried
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criticized
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salvaged
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save something from complete ruin
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To confound the competition...
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seize the ground behind them
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Chapter 13
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The Reputation of Power
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campaign ethics
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morality is ethics, what is right and wrong
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political dark house
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a person who is not publically known
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public attitudes are flexible
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just explain your resume, even if off-beat
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contingency plan
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back-up plan
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when in doubt get it out
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Retail or wholesale, the one durable truth holds: when in doubt, get it out. If you've done something your boss is not going to like, it is far better that you yourself bring him the bad news.
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bring up a handicap or a difference that is uncomfortable, and get it out there, it makes everyone feel better
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4 foot Senator Barbara A. Mikulski who stood on a suitcase to reach mic
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get your mistakes honestly on the table
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JFK(Bay of Pigs) vs. Reagan (didn't get honest about with Iran-Contra until 5 mos. later), PR problems: honesty still is best policy, disarm, hang a lantern on the problem (show it out in open and deal with it openly)
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Clinton on Carson show
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more saw Bill and sax vs. heard his actual speech on TV
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What is a 'craft'?
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skill of a particular field, e.g. politician's craft
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thwarted ambitions
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plans and goals that were prevented from happening
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concede the argument
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cede- yield
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Boat metaphor
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weather-beaten old skipper, gale force wind
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tack across the wind
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zigzagging to get through the wind
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fatally flawed
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the logic of the argument, the premise of a program, etc. was doomed from the beginning
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cross-hairs
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in the position to be attacked/criticized
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MX metaphor
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missile
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this dense-pack thing
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Dense Pack is a strategy for basing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for the purpose of maximizing their survivability in case of a surprise nuclear first...
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Midgetmen
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a type of missile
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judiciously
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wisely
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conventional view
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general view of the public
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Lion and Fox
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Reagan / L: cutting taxes / F: getting Nicaraguan rebels supported (Mach.)
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Tip: loved info and dismissed those who lacked it (136 ½ pg)
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worst political sin is not knowing what's going on, here and there at home
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Listening / Silence as an art
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a keen understanding comes from LISTENING, asking the right questions
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pool-sharking/ lawmaking
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green felt tables
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Reminds me of Aesop's Fable
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story of the wind and sun taking off a man's coat
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M.O.
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modus operandi
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barometric factor
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his temper
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being "difficult"
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can be an asset
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make use of your defects / vices
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(Mach. and Alexis de T.)
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conciliatory
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reconciling people together
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What was Bay of Pigs?
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take out Castro!
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quid pro quo
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Latin for (?)
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political currency
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take to the bank - $ metaphor
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big mistake
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attach significance to words a politician doesn't actually say, to commitments he does not actually make
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Mandela
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Nelson, South African leader
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Pragmatic
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practical
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Furlough
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break from military service
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Squeamishness
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repulsion, disgust or nausea created by a certain event/stimulus
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throw-the-book-at-'em
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a lawyer who takes the LAWS (book) seriously
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Opulent
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wealthy = JFK's background
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Irreverent
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showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously
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Sound reasons (94 whole pg)
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based on good reason, sense, or judgment
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Pragmatist
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really practical person
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Target your audience
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find a target and find out what that person wants / cares about - ego
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kitchen table economics
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very practical, family-based
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grassroots
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Grassroots movements are often at the local level: as many volunteers in the community give their time to support the local party, which can lead to helping the national party.
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stock
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network of stockholders - metaphor
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set the mold
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JFK
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PT 109
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patrol torpedo boat)
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Panama Canal (at that point in history
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1960s?)
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low numbered license plate
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connection with power?
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Eagles Club
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Republicans - ppl who paid the membership dues
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politicians can pull strings
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and do favors but the recipient forgets, and yet the voter can do favors/give $ and then they remember it
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untapped energy
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not in natural places - in the hearts of the ppl
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locker-room exchange
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metaphor
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reveille
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dream in French
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ceremoniously signed
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and knew it would never be cashed
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prejudice
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in govt and business - racism and sexism
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wolf / door
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OUAT
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pushy Ferraro
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that's what it TAKES in this business
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G. Bush's reputation suffered
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morally too
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feudalistic code
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good fight - back covered inside
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continue the courtship! (marriage
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loses the excitement of dating, you have to infuse it with that specialness again and again to keep it strong)
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political retail
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metaphor (monopoly game?)
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presidential
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looking
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here's a member who's just joined...
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church membership / leadership
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taint
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tainted
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Metaphor: aboard
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ship metaphor / captain / you can't deny whom you've served
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appearance
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voting time is time to look good!
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fence mending
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neighborly
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the bagel story
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amusing but proves a point
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mortification (50)
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shock or humiliation
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tangible / intangible (51-52)
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concrete vs. abstract ideas
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most intimate political confidant (51)
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most trustworthy political 'friend'
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"All politics is local" (52)
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Mach.
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refinement (52)
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tune it up, polish it up
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unassailable logic (52)
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you cannot refute it, it is sound
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idealized the masses (52)
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Communistic thinking (1984)
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through the prism
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welfare (52) - politicians want to benefit themselves through solving public issues (people ask themselves usually "how does this benefit me?"
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Technicolor (52)
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Like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz entering Oz
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veteran pol (52)
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pol = politician / veteran (knows it well, been in politics a long time)
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mundane (52)
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day to day life of his constituents (voters) / mundane = routine things / / boring (as a connotation)
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freshly minted (52)
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mint = coins pressed out from metal (making of coined) / / newby / rookie
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sacrament of baptism (52)
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cold water of truth = water metaphor / the harsh truth is that your voters tell you what to worry about, not vice versa
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secular (52)
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non-religious
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septuagenarian incumbent (52)
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70s / person already in office
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passing out literature (54)
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flyers, small books, information about you or your org.
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gimmick (55)
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advertising trick
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no matinee idol
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not an actor like Reagan or other good-looking, charming, talkative politicians
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benign
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not harmful
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greased along / two-track
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RRs and it slides along / metaphor means the House and the Senate
