InsultingthepresidentisanAmericantradition.FromWashingtontoTrump,presidentshavebeencalled“lazy,““feeble,““pusillanimous,“andmore.Ourleadershavebeenderidedas“ignoramuses,““idiots,““morons,“and“fatheads,“andhavebeencomparedtoallmannerofanimals--wormsandwhalesandhyenas,sadjellyfish,struttingcrows,lapdogs,reptiles,andmonkeys.Politicalinsultstelluswhatwevalueinourleadersbyshowinghowwedevaluethem.InDangerousCrookedScoundrels,linguistEdwinBattistellacollectsoverfivehundredinsultsaimedatAmericanpresidents.CoveringthebroadsweepofAmericanhistory,heputsinsultsintheirplace-thepoliticalandculturalcontextoftheirtimes.Alongtheway,Battistellaillustratestherecurringthemesofpoliticalinsults:toolittleintellectortoomuch,inconsistencyorobstinacy,worthlessness,weakness,dishonesty,sexualimpropriety,appearance,andmore.Thekindsofinsultsweusesuggestwhatourculturefindsmosthurtful,andrevealsociety’schangingprejudicesaswellasitsmostenduringones.Howweinsultpresidentsandhowtheyreacttellsusaboutthepresidents,butitalsotellsusaboutournation’spolitics.Readersdiscoverhowthestyleofinsultsevolvesindifferenthistoricalperiods:goneare“apostate,““mountebank,““flathead,“and“doughface.“Sayhelloto“moron,““jerk,““asshole,“and“flip-flopper.“DangerousCrookedScoundrelscoversthebroadsweepofAmericanhistory,fromthefounder’sdebatesoverthenatureofgovernmenttoworldwarsandculturewarsandsocialmedia.Whateveryourpolitics,you’llfindDangerousCrookedScoundrelsaninvaluablesourceofinvigoratinginvective-andahealthyperspectiveontoday’spoliticalclimate.
