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Article: Wit is the opiate of politics. (political aphorisms) (column)
- Article from:
- U.S. News & World Report
- Article date:
- November 26, 1990
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 All rights reserved. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The off-year elections were also an off year for those of us who collect aphorisms. Normally, even the most woeful campaign will churn up a few memorable adages, maxims or allegedly immutable laws. Who can forget "If you've seen one slum, you've seen them all" (Spiro Agnew's update of "A rose is a rose") or Eugene McCarthy on congressional reform: "If you purify the pond, the water lilies die"? McCarthy's First Law of Politics, "Never say anything in a national campaign that anyone might remember," was obviously far ahead of its time.
This season we had to make do with a stern tidbit from Bill Bradley: "Get an elbow, give an elbow." This is an exjock's version ...