Five Words

— By Kevin Drum

| Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:10 AM PDT

FIVE WORDS....Five words I hope to hear a lot less of after November 4th:

  • acorn

  • right

  • airs

  • moose

  • bush

These are, of course, all perfectly ordinary words that have done nothing to deserve criticism. But life is unfair. I still don't want to hear them. Feel free to leave other candidates in comments.

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Kevin Drum is a political blogger for Mother Jones. For more of his stories, click here.

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Comments

Submitted by yorkist (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:04 AM PDT.

I believe that's "ayers" not "airs"

Submitted by GP (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:04 AM PDT.

Maverick, except as relates to top gun.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:08 AM PDT.

You betcha.

Also.

Submitted by optical weenie (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:17 AM PDT.

Kevin,
You may want to correct the typo in your thread heading.

Submitted by pol (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:18 AM PDT.

Fear

Submitted by The Conservative Deflator (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:18 AM PDT.

Wrords? Hruh?

Submitted by David Bailey (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:19 AM PDT.

Maverick. And although it's a phrase and not a single word: "my friends".

Submitted by Econobuzz (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:20 AM PDT.

My friends

Submitted by RSA (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:21 AM PDT.

I hope you're not a fan of Dallas's professional basketball franchise.

Submitted by van (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:22 AM PDT.

EYE-rack, NewCueLar

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:24 AM PDT.

yorkist wins the thread. Excuse me while I dig around in the sofa cushions. I think I can find a spare clue he'd like.

Submitted by FirstDude (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:25 AM PDT.

POW, drill, hussein

Submitted by tomeck (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:29 AM PDT.

An Acorn in the right hand is worth a moose in the bush?

Submitted by Bob L. (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:29 AM PDT.

"Palling"? Or is that "pal-ing"? Or "paling"? Be sure not to drop the "g".

Submitted by Brock (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:29 AM PDT.

"Bus" when preceded by the words "thrown under".

Submitted by wahoofive (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:30 AM PDT.

Like it or not, you're going to continue to hear "bush" until January.

Submitted by cleek (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:30 AM PDT.

McCain
Republican
Swing voter
"the Corner"

Submitted by whosiwhatzit (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:31 AM PDT.

"double down" "also, too"

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:37 AM PDT.

bipartisan

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:39 AM PDT.

canteloupe

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:40 AM PDT.

just never liked the stuff

Submitted by the other kevin (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:40 AM PDT.

gamechanger

battleground

dial-testing

another vote for 'maverick' except as it relates to top gun.

wolf blitzer

candy crowley

bill bennett

"The Best Political Team"

iReport

CNN in general, I guess.

joe ANYTHING

any words that come out of Keith Olbermann's mouth, whether I agree with them or not... he is really mostly insufferable.

words written by karl rove as 'advice' to democratic candidates

first dude

butcher (as a verb)

words of credit going to any clinton for being anything other than generally horrible people.

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:41 AM PDT.

cantaloupe either

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:41 AM PDT.

after november 4th I better never hear that word again

Submitted by buzzp (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:42 AM PDT.

plumber (unless I need one)
six-pack (except at 7-11)
margin of error (polls, not banks)
troopergate (Alaska version - NY version OK)
sub-prime (including meat)

Submitted by SecularAnimist (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:45 AM PDT.

Republican.

Submitted by the other kevin (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:48 AM PDT.

scratch that last one - the clintons can get some credit, but what i really i mean is that i don't want to hear too many words of credit going to a clinton that don't also give said clinton some credit for being part-time horrible people/giant babies. e.g., 'not as far as i know,' 'bobby kennedy', the majority of her entire campaign, most anything relating to bill, etc.

radical actions to protest state-sponsored murder of thousands of people being written off by nearly all publications and pundits as nothing more than 'despicable acts'.

Submitted by Econobuzz (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:49 AM PDT.

"there" in the wrong places, there

Submitted by dru (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:56 AM PDT.

hockey-mom

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:56 AM PDT.

If you name one of your kids Fannie or Freddie they should be permitted one malicious assault upon your person, free of charge, upon reaching majority.

Submitted by Econobuzz (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 10:59 AM PDT.

Or Hank or Ben, for that matter

Submitted by gemini (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:01 AM PDT.

Statistical tie.

Ain't no such thing.

Submitted by ckelly (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:02 AM PDT.

rove

Submitted by penalcolony (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:04 AM PDT.

Socialism, unless some should actually appear.

Submitted by Martin (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:07 AM PDT.

"palling around" and "folks"

Submitted by thersites (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:21 AM PDT.

Cantaloupe. Already married.

Submitted by jackson (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:22 AM PDT.

drill
Malkin
Jonah
Goldberg
hockey mom
poll

Submitted by lm (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:26 AM PDT.

[name] the [occupation]

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:32 AM PDT.

I must admit "drill Palin" doesn't necessarily evoke a negative response with me. Sans biscuit, avec biscuit, whatever.

Submitted by McTee (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:43 AM PDT.

Lipstick

Pitbull

Submitted by Kelley (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:50 AM PDT.

Cantaloupe (never liked them either).

"Ya" any verb

Any word ending in "ing" pronounced "in" or "uhn"

My friends

Submitted by Lucy (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:50 AM PDT.

maverick
preconditions
unrepentant terrorist
breaking news
HUSSEIN
Bachmann

Submitted by Dan K. (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 11:59 AM PDT.

Folksy.

Submitted by optical weenie (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 12:06 PM PDT.

INKBLOT for PRESIDENT!

Submitted by steve duncan (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 12:08 PM PDT.

OOH, OOH! I have one! Ready? OK, how about "And I've got the scars to prove it"? Gack! Somebody, stick a knife in my brain!

Submitted by thersites (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 12:21 PM PDT.

Weenie,
Are you advocating, or are you telling us you don't want to hear those words again?
How will I write C code without "for?"

Submitted by Ralph (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 12:23 PM PDT.

Miss Congeniality

Submitted by the other kevin (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 12:26 PM PDT.

executive experience

Submitted by Econobuzz (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 12:34 PM PDT.

Greenspan
Derivative
Tranche
Swap
Swaption

Submitted by the other kevin (not verified) on Tue Oct. 21, 2008 12:38 PM PDT.

words i do want to hear:

democratic landslide

sixty seats

palin impeached

prop 8 defeated

cheney vanquished w silver bullet

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