political catchphrases of the year

[Benjamin Zimmer]

Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic has an online poll for the most
memorable political catchphrase of 2008:

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/12/yearend_poll_political_catch_p.php

The nominees (none of which made Fred Shapiro's list of the top 10
quotes of the year) are:

"Fire It Up. Ready to Go." [sic]
"Yes We Can."
"Therefore, I'm suspending my campaign...."
"I'm in it to win it."
"A F*$)^* Valuable Thing."

As numerous commenters point out, the first catchphrase (used by Obama
on the campaign trail) should actually be "Fired up, ready to go."
"Fire it up" looks like a mondeggcorn.


--Ben Zimmer

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