Idiom: throwing (shoving) under the bus [political sacrifice or removal] (probably 1985)

[Charles C Doyle]

I have always associated the idiom "throw to the wolves" with the image of throwing an unfortunate person off the back of a sleigh to delay a pack of pursuing wolves--though I can find little evidence that that particular image is commonplace (the OED dates the idiom only as far back as 1927).

But what exactly is the image in the expression "throw under the bus"?  Do we envision the one to be thrown as riding on the bus (presumably, then, in the very front), or standing beside the street? On the basis of some of Garson's quotations--and the wording of the variant "shove under the bus"--the latter seems more probable.  Though it might be different if, say, Mrs. Palin were to throw one of her assistants under the bus.

--Charlie

________________________________________
From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of Garson O'Toole [adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM]
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 4:19 AM


The Double-Tongued Dictionary has an entry for "throw (someone) under the bus":
http://www.doubletongued.org/index.php/dictionary/throw_someone_under_the_bus

In 2006 William Safire discussed the phrase in his "On Language" column:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/19/magazine/19wwln_safire.html

The ADS list discussed the phrase in 2006:
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ADS-L;yceTxg;200611182153420500C

The earliest citation with a sense of "sacrifice" or "betrayal"
appears to be dated 1991. There is also an interesting Cyndi Lauper
citation in 1984 containing "under the bus". It does not involve
throwing or shoving someone under the bus.

Here is a match for "shove him under the bus" in a volume with a
Google Books date of 1985. The theme is removing a political figure
from a position of power or importance.

Title: The Presidential nominating process : change and continuity in the 1980's
Editor: Kenneth W. Thompson 1921-
Publication date: 1985
Publisher: Lanham, MD : University Press of America.
ISBN: 0819149640
Note: Lectures organized by the White Burkett Miller Center of Public Affairs.
Series: George Gund lectures v.4.

In 1975 the party was stuck with a leader under whom it couldn't win
an election. But there was no way of getting rid of him. All that had
been achieved in 1965 was the introduction of a scheme for electing
the party leader, but no procedure for the re-election of the leader.
So they were stuck with him unless you could shove him under the bus.

Among British politicians or commentators the question is not who will
replace Margaret or Kinnock or Jim Callaghan or Michael Foot. The
expression they use in Britain is "What would happen if Margaret
stepped out under the bus?"


Here are a four more selected cites in reverse chronological order
displaying different senses.

In 1978 the phrase "shove us under a bus" appeared in a syndicated
newspaper column. The theme was unjustified bad luck or punishment.

Cite: 1978 January 2, Florence Times Tri-Cities Daily (GN Times
Daily), Section Opinion/Comment, Barbs by Phil Pastoret, Page 4 (GNA
Page 43 of 106), Florence, Alabama. (Google News Archive)

Lady Luck gives some people a boost, but we feel that she's been
trying to shove us under a bus.


In 1971 "push you under the bus" was used with a jocular tone.

Cite: 1971 March 23, Plain Dealer, New Yorker in Bow as Clevelander
Editor, Page 7-A, Cleveland, Ohio. (GenealogyBank)

Yewell also acknowledges that if you were to greet a Clevelander at a
bus stop with a list of the city's merits, he would probably push you
under the bus.


(Raw unverified match) Circa 1952, Newsweek, Volume 39.

In Fleet Street, a young man who walked on noisily during the two
minutes of silence was set upon by angry hundreds, crying: "Throw him
under a bus" or "Take him to the Thames." Police took him away, and
the street was a place of decency and decorum once more.

http://books.google.com/books?id=1NgGAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Throw+him%22#search_anchor


(Raw unverified match) Circa 1942, The Strand Magazine.

"Yes, I ought to do something," he said.
"You ought to push him under a bus."

http://books.google.com/books?id=iKYvAAAAMAAJ&q=%22under+a+bus%22#search_anchor

Garson

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org