Word: term
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Dates: during 2000-2000
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...successful run for public office. Finally, the presidential campaign that everyone thought was boring suddenly became all too interesting. The election ran aground in Florida, its outcome simply too close to call, a digital-photo-finish that defeated the state's analog voting equipment (and meanwhile added a 1950s term, punch-card "chad," to our lexicon). The cable-TV pundits made their dependable racket and protesters filled the South Florida streets, but as the votes were recounted and Gore contested Bush's apparent victory, the public remained admirably patient--content to let this truly important episode play out. Our frivolous...
...chad. What a turn of events! When Hillary Clinton first paid court to retiring U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, folks in the know had several observations: "She wouldn't," "She can't," "She'll get thrashed" and "Uh-oh" were prominent among them. When she announced her candidacy, the term carpetbagger was immediately hurled. But New York likes its carpetbaggers--people seemed to forget that Robert F. Kennedy and James Buckley not only ran for Senate from the Empire State but won--and New York likes high-wattage celebrities a lot. Hillary was an immediate hit in the city...
There's a term in the arts-fin-de-siecle-for end-of-the-century ennui. So why none for the vague sense of disappointment when a century begins and precious little changes? In the year 2000--the year 2000!--we were supposed to be listening to Theremin symphonies and watching theater in our heads. Instead, we were slinging misogynist raps and hosting game shows, just like yesterday...
Even before he was declared President-elect, George W. Bush had become bear in chief. For weeks he?s been warning that the U.S. economy is in for hard times. He may steer clear himself of the term recession. ?Possible slowdown? is one way he puts it. But dirty work is what Vice Presidents are for. So Dick Cheney has been sent out to say the forbidden word. As early as Dec. 3, he was on Meet the Press warning that the nation ?may well be on the front edge of a recession...
...picture? More Republican retreads and old pros, and plenty of low profiles. Of course, most Cabinet members slip into obscurity by the time the new term gets underway, but Bush seems determined to avoid any controversies he can in the meantime. Next week: labor secretary, energy secretary, transportation secretary, UN representative, and most of the rest of the White House staff...