| 词汇 | nattering nabobs of negativism |
| 词源 | nattering nabobs of negativism. Spiro Agnew (1918–96), U.S. vice president under Richard Nixon, coined this phrase in 1969. Natter means to talk incessantly, its origin unknown, and nabob is used here in its sense of “an influential person.” Agnew resigned in 1973 in a plea deal after being charged with accept- ing bribes. He was the first vice president in U.S. history to re- sign because of criminal charges. The quote refers to liberals, who liked him as much as he liked them. The whole quote is: “In the United States today we have more than our fair share of the nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own Four H Club: the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.” As for President Nixon, he became the only U.S. presi- dent to resign from office, thanks to his part in the Watergate scandal. |
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