Clinton: 'Demagogic Rhetoric' Is a 'Gift to ISIS'

Lookups spiked after Clinton used the word in the second presidential debate

Demagogic spiked to become the top lookup during the presidential debate. It was used by Hillary Clinton during the debate in an exchange on terrorism in which she said that Donald Trump’s “demagogic rhetoric” is a “gift to ISIS.”

Demagogic means “of, relating to, or characteristic of a political leader who tries to get support by making false claims and promises and using arguments based on emotion rather than reason.”

Appropriately enough for a word that derives from the Greek word dēmos meaning “people,” the earliest current evidence we have of this word comes in a translation of Plato’s Dialogues in the late 18th century:

Then was that great Leviathan with the Demagogic Head thrown to the Ground, and a Monster with Thirty Heads tyrannized in this room, slaughtered Thousands without even Pretence of Law, and favoured only its own Abettors.

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