“Let me be clear”: A frequent expression of exasperation from a politician who believes he or she isn’t making a fully understood argument. It’s the rhetorical heir to Richard Nixon’s famous “Let me make one thing perfectly clear.”  

— From “Dog Whistles, Walk-Backs & Washington Handshakes: Decoding the Jargon, Slang, and Bluster of American Political Speech ,” by Chuck McCutcheon and David Mark.  

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The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress


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