My database is bulging with examples. If some of these raise no memories, it is because it is in the nature of the construct to be ephemeral. There are voices crying for restraint. It does not follow that every scandal involving either bugging or politicians has to be given the suffix 'gate'. We should not coin new Gates, and when others coin them we should be slow to follow.
Suffixes hold a special place for journalists.
In the sweaty grip of deadlines, when careful thought is impossible, it is comforting to be able to take a word, slap a suffix on it and make something that looks even a little original. Luckily for my peace of mind, this fashion seems to have died. Unfortunately, it was soon replaced by other catchphrases. One was feeding frenzy , which denotes any sort of over-competitive behaviour on the part of politicians, journalists or businesses. This only started to appear in British newspapers in about 1994 but clearly originated in the United States.