A kinder, gentler Howard Dean?Speaking hoarsely to an appreciative crowd [after placing third in the Iowa caucuses], Dean was doing his usual dancing on the head of the President, charging Bush with fighting the wrong war, appealing to the worst in Americans, dividing the country by fear, etc. But he looked a bit sheepish sheep·ish adj. 1. Embarrassed, as by consciousness of a fault: a sheepish grin. 2. Meek or stupid. sheep at his drop from larger than-life to smaller-than-life. He seemed lost without his manic eyebrow-arching anger and devilish dev·il·ish adj. 1. Of, resembling, or characteristic of a devil, as: a. Malicious; evil. b. Mischievous, teasing, or annoying. 2. Excessive; extreme: devilish heat. smile, not sure how to proceed in a race where suddenly everyone was acting so nice, so measured, so blah. Asked by reporters about his morph to subdued sub·due tr.v. sub·dued, sub·du·ing, sub·dues 1. To conquer and subjugate; vanquish. See Synonyms at defeat. 2. To quiet or bring under control by physical force or persuasion; make tractable. 3. policy wonk Policy wonk is a term of art of politics, meaning an expert with a detailed knowledge of current or potential government policies, administrative matters, and the effects of policy and programs. It entered general usage in the 1990s during the administration of U.S. from fire-breathing, red-meat guy, he protested: "I can't talk very loud but I think the passion is still evident." I felt a little sorry to see the de-clawed, de-Deaned Dean. Where's the delight in watching the Defiant One suddenly afraid of his own shadow, practically holding down his hands so he wouldn't seem too emotional? |
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