snollygoster
noun

- a shrewd, unprincipled person, especially a politician

- one, especially a politician, who is guided by personal advantage rather than by consistent, respectable principles

- a political operative or candidate who uses cunning or ethically questionable behavior to achieve power.

Oxford Languages, Merriam-Webster, Political Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

"Snollygoster" is a 19th century American term, first appearing in print around the 1850s. The exact origin is uncertain, but it's believed to have originated in the American South.

One possible origin is that it's derived from "snallygaster," a mythical beast from Maryland folklore that preys on poultry and children.

Another theory suggests it may come from Pennsylvania German schnelle geeschter, which translates to quick spirits.

"Snollygoster" gained prominence when President Truman used it to describe congressional politicians in the 1950s. Despite its obscure origins, "snollygoster" has periodically resurfaced in political discourse, including a revival in British politics in 2009 during a debate over MPs' expenses.

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FAMOUS SNOLLYGOSTERS

Richard Nixon (U.S. President, 1973)
"I am not a crook." Nixon made this statement during the Watergate scandal. Subsequent investigations revealed his involvement in the cover-up, leading to his resignation.

Bill Clinton (U.S. President, 1998)
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky." This denial was later proven false when Clinton admitted to an inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky after evidence surfaced.

Tony Blair (U.K. Prime Minister, 2002)
"Iraq can deploy weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes." This assertion was central to the case for the Iraq War. No weapons of mass destruction were ever found in Iraq.

George W. Bush (U.S. President, 2003)
"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." This claim was part of the justification for the Iraq War. It was later discredited, with no credible evidence found to support the claim.

Vladimir Putin (Russian President, 2014)
"There are no Russian troops in Crimea." Putin denied Russian military involvement in Crimea during its annexation. Later, he admitted that Russian forces had been active there all along.

Donald Trump (U.S. President, 2020)
"We’re rounding the corner. It’s going away." (Referring to COVID-19) Trump repeatedly downplayed the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as cases surged globally and in the U.S.

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SYNONYMS

backstabber, bad apple (egg, sort), blackguard, cad, charlatan, con artist, corrupt/crooked/deceitful/despicable/dishonest/disreputable person, crooked as a barrel of snakes, crook, cutthroat, deceiver, demon/devil in disguise, dirty dealer (dog), double-crosser, double-dealer, evil-doer, fence-sitter, flip-flopper, fraud, fraudster, human swamp, hypocrite, imposter, judas, knave, liar, lowlife, mendacious person, miscreant, mountebank, opportunist, phony, rat, reprobate, rogue, rotten apple, scoundrel, shady/shifty character, sham, shark, shyster, slimeball, snake in the grass, snake oil salesman, SNOLLYGOSTER, spineless wonder, swindler, traitor, treacherous soul, trickster, turncoat, two-faced liar (person), underhanded operator, unethical person, unscrupulous operator, villain, weathercock, weasel, wolf in sheep's clothing

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Beware the SNOLLYGOSTER who promises the moon but delivers a flashlight.”

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