Word: ironbutt
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
That fighting philosophy has defined Pelosi's leadership style as well. Her predecessor Dick Gephardt was known as "Ironbutt" for the hours he spent sitting and wheedling his colleagues. "Gephardt would plead with people to do the right thing, and they would know that there was no penalty for it," recalls a veteran senior aide on Capitol Hill. Not Pelosi. "Once you cross her," he says, "your life is not going to be very pleasant...
...exactly what he is: careful and deliberate, encouraging but rarely inspiring. Where Gingrich prefers to back his opponents up against a wall, Gephardt would rather subdue them at the negotiating table. His willingness to sit and listen for hours while others gripe and posture has earned him the nickname "Ironbutt," courtesy of his colleagues...
Bush has an even bigger problem getting John Tower confirmed as Defense Secretary. Initially, it looked as if the Armed Services Committee would ultimately observe protocol: the President's nominee does not have to be someone the committee members would choose, just someone they can stomach. "Ironbutt," as Tower was known in the Senate for his imperious ways and wait-'em-out negotiating style, would never win a popularity contest. Nevertheless, the hearings started out as a love fest, with the former chair of the committee receiving a round of applause at the end of his first day of testimony...
...Tower was a cunning legislator who delighted in frustrating congressional liberals and earned the nickname "Ironbutt" for his wait-'em- out negotiating style. Moreover, he wanted the Defense job when few others did. He campaigned for Bush, rushed to Dan Quayle's defense after the Republican Convention, and joined New Hampshire Governor John Sununu's Dukakis-bashing brigade. Tutored by several former aides who now hold top Pentagon, White House and budget-making jobs, Tower wowed Bush during their Nov. 17 meeting and several days later made a similar impression on Sununu, soon to be White House chief of staff...
...instance, Gephardt helped fashion new solutions to complicated problems through hard work and an unusual mastery of facts. His near evangelical faith in the power of meetings to clear legislative snags -- Gephardt is a sort of walking version of the book You Can Negotiate Anything -- won him the nickname "Ironbutt...
| 1 |