Dark horse
A dark horse is a person—especially a candidate for a political office or other position—who previously wasn’t well-known or recognized but, somehow, became so.
Here’s how you might use this expression: “Many Americans thought that Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic nominee for President. But, a dark horse, Barack Obama, was instead.”
GI
GI stands for “government issue” and is usually the nickname for a United States Army soldier. GI can also be a type of medical test that evaluates the gastrointestinal system.
Here’s how you might use GI:
- “He fought in World War II, and when he returned home, he attended college on the GI Bill.”
- “I was frequently having stomach cramps. So I decided to have a GI test to determine the cause of this problem.”
Go on the stump
This phrase is a staple (basic or essential item) of American politics.
For example, if a candidate is serious about getting elected, he would travel around his city or state or the entire country speaking with citizens. That is to say, he would “go out on the stump”—campaign for political office.
In the bag
This phrase means something is a certainty or sure to happen.
For example, if a candidate believes that the polls show that he has a significant lead, he might think that he’ll be sure to win the election. In other words, he has the election “in the bag.”
Main street
When used about a politician, this phrase signifies that a candidate is concerned with everyday people and small businesses.
Here’s how you might use this phrase: The conservative candidate is more concerned with those on Wall Street and other wealthy people, whereas the more liberal candidate is concerned with those on Main Street—the common people.
Spinning or putting a spin on something
Often, after a political debate, media interview, or speech, a candidate’s aides or staff (also known as the candidate’s “handlers”) will try to convince the public that the candidate did well, even if he or she made mistakes or spoke poorly.
Here’s how to use this expression: “That candidate didn’t answer the reporters’ questions. Even so, his handlers said he spoke well. They were really spinning his performance.”
Stop at nothing
If a political race is particularly hard fought, a candidate may do whatever it takes—such as highly-negative, even false, advertising—in order to win. Consequently, this term means that a person would do anything to reach his goal.
Along the same lines, a highly-aggressive executive might “stop at nothing” to outsell his competitor or to meet Wall Street expectations. The implication of this expression is sometimes negative. A person who “stops at nothing” might engage in activities that harm others or are illegal.
Straight Talk
During the 2008 U.S. presidential election, one of the candidates called his campaign bus the “Straight Talk Express.” This candidate’s supporters considered him to be a “straight talker.” Here’s more about this popular American term.
First of all, many people think that a “straight-talking politician” is an oxymoron (two terms that, when combined, form a contradictory phrase). That being the case, let’s forget about politicians.
In general, a person who’s a “straight talker” tells you the truth—when you need to hear it and whether or not you’re receptive to hearing this input. For example, if a colleague is a “straight talker,” he or she will let you know before your presentation that your PowerPoint slides are vague or too busy or that your conclusion is incorrect. That way, you can revise your presentation and, by doing so, avoid a bad reception from your senior management team.
The truth about how we look, what we say or do, or what we hope to become is sometimes hard to hear. But, when a person takes the time to give us such feedback, we can benefit by listening. While we may not agree with his or her thinking, we can appreciate that this person has our best interest at heart.
Up for grabs
This expression is the opposite of “in the bag.” If something is “up for grabs,” it’s freely available and, therefore, not certain who will end up with this object or thing.
For example, if neither candidate has a commanding lead in the polls, an election may be “up for grabs.”
Wall Street
When used about a politician, this expression means that a candidate is focused on those individuals, like CEOs and investment bankers, and businesses, like huge corporations, that earn a lot of money.
Here’s how you’d use this phrase: Some say that the Republicans favor the “fat cats” or Wall Street and not the middle class.