The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang
"An entertaining and informed lexicon of 600 words and phrases describing both current and past political activities and the politicos who made them happen...a most useful state-of-the-slang compendium."--Library Journal"A handy phrase-book to help us understand the yammering of the Beltway's chatterati."--Wall Street Journal"Those seriously concerned with the vitality of our wonky Beltway blather may want to skip the next agriculture-subsidy roundtable to train their bifocals on "Hatchet Jobs and Hardball".... There, with some imagination, you can freshen your lexicon with some forgotten or fairly obscure, but nevertheless serviceable, bits of political argot. Impress your fellow sheeple!"--Tom Kuntz, The New York Times"Word lovers and miners for old terms of art that deserve new life will find delight here.... The book has a short introduction by James Carville and Mary Matalin. And in addition to nearly 300 pages of citations, Mr. Barrett includes eight brief essays, one of them on '-gate' coinages (Does anybody remember what 'clamgate' or 'waste-watergate' referred to?)."--Dallas Morning News