Teflon (nickname)

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Teflon is a nickname given to persons, particularly in politics, to whom criticism does not seem to stick. The term comes from Teflon, the brand name of a "non-stick" chemical used on cookware, and was first applied to the American President Ronald Reagan.

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[edit] History

The phrase "Teflon president" was coined in 1983[1] by Patricia Schroeder, then a Democratic Congresswoman from Colorado, who said of then-President Reagan,

“ After carefully watching Ronald Reagan, I can see he's attempting a great breakthrough in political technology. He has been perfecting the Teflon-coated presidency. He sees to it that nothing sticks to him. He is responsible for nothing.[1] ”

Her characterization did stick, and the phrase "Teflon President" entered the American political lexicon. [2] [3] Jerrold M. Post, Director of the Political Psychology Program for the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, has written that "[Reagan's] followers actively ignored data that disconfirmed their idealization" of [him], thus contributing to his image as the 'Teflon' President."[4] Although his approval numbers "plummeted" as the Iran-Contra Affair unfolded, his "immense popularity ... was largely unscathed", and when his term ended he had the highest approval ratings of any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt.[5]

The American political magazine Mother Jones has dubbed it "one of the most durable political metaphors of our time."[6] The Washington Post said in 1992 that Schroeder had been " the only Democrat who ever came up with a derogatory label that stuck to President Reagan".[7] Nevertheless, Schroeder has more recently expressed dismay over the impact the phrase had, and said in 2004 following Reagan's death,

“ I was hoping people would say, "Yes, he is commander in chief, he should be responsible." Instead people said, "Yes, that is a Teflon coat. How do I get one of those?"[1] ”

It's also been applied to mafia boss John Gotti, called "The Teflon Don". [8]

[edit] Usage outside US

The usage of the "teflon" metaphor seems to be spreading outside the US too.

[edit] United Kingdom

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is often referred to in the press as Teflon Tony. [9]

[edit] Canada

Ralph Klein, long-time premier of the Canadian province of Alberta, was often referred to as a "Teflon" Premier. [10]

[edit] Republic of Ireland

It has been applied to Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (known as the Teflon Taoiseach) as scandal after scandal failed to have any lasting effect on him,[11] until he was forced to resign in 2008.

[edit] Australia

In Australia the name Teflon Johnny has been coined to describe Prime Minister John Howard. Other Australian public figures that have been called "teflon coated" include Queensland Premier, Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen and Prime Minister, Paul Keating.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c M. E. Sprenglemeyer. "'Teflon' moniker didn't have intended effect on Reagan", Scripps Howard News Service, June 9, 2004. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  2. ^ Teflon president. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  3. ^ Schroeder, Patricia. "Nothing stuck to 'Teflon' president.", USA Today. Retrieved on 2007-09-25. "As a young congresswoman, I got the idea of calling President Reagan the "Teflon president" while fixing eggs for my kids. He had a Teflon coat like the pan." 
  4. ^ Jerrold M. Post (1995). in Stanley Allen Renshon: The Political Psychology of the Ross Perot Phenomenon. Westview Press. 
  5. ^ Ronald Reagan Biography. The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
  6. ^ Leslie Savan. "Teflon is Forever", Mother Jones, May/June 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  7. ^ Judy Mann. "A Vote for `Someone a Little Different'", Washington Post, June 17, 1992. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  8. ^ "'Teflon Don' jailed for life.", BBC. Retrieved on 2007-09-25. "Judge Leo Glasser's sentencing brought to a close the long quest to convict the man nicknamed the "Teflon Don"." 
  9. ^ "The collapse of Teflon Tony.", The Times, November 10, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-09-25. "Yesterday's defeat in the Commons is a serious blow for Labour's credibility as a governing party." 
  10. ^ "Bush, Kerry (and Ralph Klein) on Latin America: The bi-partisan offensive against Cuba, Venezuela.", Seven Oaks. Retrieved on 2007-09-25. "It turns out Klein recently submitted a paper on Chilean history, as part of a communications course he’s taking at Athasbasca University. It also turns out that large portions of the essay are copied from articles on the internet, without proper citation. The plagiarism may or may not hurt Klein’s popularity, given the Teflon Conservative’s long record of debauchery, including a drunken night of poor-bashing at an Edmonton homeless shelter." 
  11. ^ "Teflon Taoiseach's brilliant career loses its well-polished shine.", New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-25. "So why has the so-called Teflon Taoiseach, who was relatively untouched by the disgrace of his former close political allies, Charles Haughey and Ray Burke, been left looking so vulnerable?" 
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