New Sense of "Spinster"

[Laurence Horn]

>I've just noticed a new sense of "spinster" meaning spin doctor, often seen
>in the phrase "political spinster."
>
>"You are a disgusting political spinster with no concern for the truth, only
>your own righteousness." alt.politics.media, 15 Nov 1999.
>
>"He's no James Carville, but Mark Fabiani has an impressive resume as a
>political spinster." rec.sports.football.pro.oak-raiders, 15 May 2002
>
>"He [Drudge] doesn't write anything himself, so I don't see how he can be a
>fake reporter (don't think he even holds himself out as a reporter), nor a
>spinster, when he doesn't add anything to the story, let alone spin."
>alt.politics.bush, 19 Jul 2002.
>
>"For the political spinsters and pundits on AO" alt.obituaries, 18 Feb 2003.

Now that I think of it, I wonder if the relevant derivation did in
fact detour through the earlier "spinmeister" or (perhaps, although I
haven't come across it in this use) "spinmaster".  The latter
evidently has various fishing-related senses which may make it less
appropriate for the political application.

L