What may be 2015's top political jargon phrase
Yes, some insults have generated instant buzz, but the use of another phrase has continued unabated 鈥� by countless politicians as well as the journalistic hordes covering them.
Democratic presidential candidate and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind.) of Vermont waves at a campaign rally in North Las Vegas, Dec. 28, 2015.
Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun/Reuters
鈥淭ap/tapping into鈥�:聽to access a previously unknown or overlooked source of something; in politics, usually fear/anger/frustration.
This deserves serious consideration as 2015鈥檚 top political jargon phrase. Sure, some insults generated more instant buzz, but The Huffington Post in August that 鈥渢apping into鈥� was 鈥渢he most overused clich茅 in campaign coverage,鈥� and its usage has continued unabated since then 鈥� by countless people in both parties as well as the journalistic hordes covering them.
Donald Trump, of course, is routinely described as tapping into the public鈥檚 anger (or 鈥渢he sinister sentiments of the country,鈥� as Republican commentator Nicolle Wallace recently on MSNBC鈥檚 鈥淢orning Joe鈥�). It鈥檚 mentioned so often that on Sunday he saw fit to 鈥� albeit halfheartedly.
鈥淚鈥檓 not tapping into the anger, and some people have said I鈥檓 doing that, and certainly I鈥檓 not doing it intentionally,鈥� Mr. Trump told ABC News. 鈥淚 just know it can be turned around. It can be turned around quickly.鈥�
Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders also has been as having tapped into anger and frustration (and his campaign, allegedly, as having tapped rival ). But the fact remains that all the candidates have been described as doing some tapping 鈥� into the into other earlier candidates鈥� , even into the .
What explains the phrase鈥檚 popularity? For starters, 鈥渢ap鈥� is a short, direct word that fits into any headline. There鈥檚 also the unspoken promise that 鈥渢apping into鈥� can yield something valuable as well as secret. Its use certainly was prevalent two years ago when Edward Snowden made his about the previously unknown extent of the National Security Agency鈥檚 electronic surveillance programs.
No matter the reason, expect campaigns and pundits to 鈥� borrowing a line from a 鈥� continue trying to tap into America.
Chuck McCutcheon writes his "Speaking Politics" blog exclusively for Politics Voices.
Interested in decoding what candidates are saying? Chuck McCutcheon and David Mark鈥檚 latest book, 鈥淒oubletalk: The Language, Code, and Jargon of a Presidential Election,鈥� will be released on Jan. 19 and is