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The following is a chronological list of political catchphrases throughout the history of the United Statesgovernment. This is not necessarily a list of historical quotes, but phrases that have been commonly referenced or repeated within various political contexts.
"Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable!", a famous excerpt from the "Second Reply to Hayne" speech given by Senator Daniel Webster during the Nullification Crisis. The full speech is generally regarded as the most eloquent ever delivered in Congress. The slogan itself would later become the state motto for North Dakota.
"Our Federal Union. It must be preserved", toast famously made by Andrew Jackson during a formal gala commemorating Thomas Jefferson's birthday on April 13, 1830. The toast refers to the secessionist dispute that began during the Nullification Crisis and it became a slogan against nullification in the ensuing political affair.
"You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold." William Jennings Bryan in 1896, expressing his opposition to the gold standard.
"I shall return." U.S. General Douglas MacArthur after leaving the Philippines.[7]
"Is there anything we can do for you? For you are the one in trouble now." Eleanor Roosevelt to Harry Truman, upon Truman learning President Franklin D. Roosevelt had died. Truman had asked Mrs. Roosevelt on hearing the news, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Clean as a hound's tooth", the standard promised by Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1952 campaign, which gained attention when Richard Nixon, campaigning for vice president on the same ticket was accused of using campaign funds for personal use.
"And you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog and I just want to say this right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it." – famous line from the Checkers speech delivered by Richard Nixon.
“In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” — Said by Alabama Governor George Wallace during his 1963 inaugural address in Montgomery, defending the institution of segregation in the southern United States and characterizing the federal government's civil rights initiatives as authoritarian. Wallace emerged afterwards as one of the strongest defenders of segregation in the South during the 1960s.
"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." Said by Barry Goldwater in his acceptance speech at the 1964 Republican National Convention.[12]
"Voodoo Economics", a term used by George H. W. Bush in reference to President Ronald Reagan's economic policies, which came to be known as "Reaganomics", during the 1980 Republican Party presidential primaries. Before President Bush became Reagan's vice president, he viewed his eventual running mate's economic policies with great skepticism. Reagan was a proponent of supply-side economics, favoring reduced income and capital gains tax rates, which supporters claim actually increase government revenue over time. It was the last point that Bush initially took objection to.[15]
"Are you better off now than you were four years ago?", a question posed by Ronald Reagan at the end of his debate with Jimmy Carter in 1980. Often invoked by future presidential candidates.
"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help", said by Ronald Reagan referring to the "most terrifying words in the English language" in opposition to welfare policies.[17]
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem", said by Ronald Reagan.[18]
"I will not exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience", said by Ronald Reagan in the second debate with Walter Mondale, defusing the age issue.
"Where's the beef?", said by presidential hopeful and former Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale, when attacking Colorado Senator Gary Hart in a 1984 Democratic primary debate. Mondale meant that Hart was only doing lip service. The phrase was derived from a popular television ad for Wendy's hamburgers.
"It's the economy, stupid" was a phrase in American politics widely used during Bill Clinton's successful 1992 presidential campaign against George H. W. Bush. Widely attributed to Clinton advisor James Carville.[28] The phrase, although now almost always quoted in its current form, is actually an incorrect quotation: Carville's original slogan, which he first wrote as part of a poster displayed in candidate Clinton's campaign headquarters, was "The Economy, Stupid", with no "It's".[29]
"It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is", said by Bill Clinton[31] during a grand jury testimony related to the Lewinsky scandal, with regard to the truthfulness of his statement that "there is not a sexual relationship, an improper sexual relationship or any other kind of improper relationship".[32]
"You didn't build that", used by Barack Obama referring to federal infrastructure. The phrase was used by his opponents to suggest that Obama meant there is no individual success in the United States.[33]
War on Women, a slogan used by the Democratic Party in attacks from 2010 onward.[34]
"I like people who weren't captured", a phrase used by Donald Trump in reference to Sen. John McCain of Arizona at the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa.[38]
"But her emails", a phrase used primarily by critics of Donald Trump to mock the abundance of attention paid to Hillary Clinton's email controversy during the 2016 election.[41] Clinton later began selling merchandise featuring the phrase.[42]
"Covfefe", an apparent typo used by President Donald Trump in 2017 in a Twitter post which read "Despite the constant negative press covfefe". The phrase became an internet meme, and a bill named the COVFEFE Act, meant to preserve social media posts made by the president, was later introduced in the House of Representatives.[54]
"A very stable genius", a phrase used by Trump in a January 6, 2018, tweet praising his own "mental stability".[55][56] The phrase was subsequently used as the title of at least two books and a proposed congressional bill.
Rainbow wave, a phrase to describe the record number of openly LGBT candidates for office in the 2018 midterm elections (over 400),[57] and in increasing numbers since that year (over 1,000 each in 2020 and 2022).[58][59]
"Dark Brandon Rises", used by supporters of President Joe Biden to counter the "Let's Go Brandon" phrase.
"We're not weird", Trump's response to being called "weird".[64][65][66]
"Childless cat ladies", used by Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance in a 2021 Fox News interview as who he perceived to really run the country. Once the comments went viral just after him being named the vice presidential nominee, MSNBC's Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski mocked Vance by appearing on her show petting a cat that was sitting on her lap and asking: "My kids are older. Does that make me childless? I want to qualify."[67] At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Oprah Winfrey used the phrase,[68] and In Taylor Swift's endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris shortly after the second presidential debate. Swift signed off on the post by calling herself one.[69]