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Mugwump, corrected version

Posted by Bob on March 08, 2003

In Reply to: Mugwump, corrected version posted by R. Berg on March 08, 2003

: : : I haven't heard this phrase in awhile and was
: : : curious of it.
: : : : "...mug on one side whump on the other."

: : : Today I saw the words spoiled mugwhumps in
: : : Charlie Daniels'
: : : - Open Letter To The Hollywood Bunch,
: : : using the word "mugwhumps."

: : : What exactly is a mugwhump?

: : That must be a misspelling of "mugwump." American Heritage Dictionary:
: : 1. (Often capital M.) A Republican who bolted his party in 1884, refusing to support James G. Blaine as candidate for the U.S. presidency. 2. Any person who acts independently, especially in politics. [Natick "mugquomp," "mugwomp," "captain."]

It was a wit's observation during the 1884 campaign that a mugwump was a fence-sitter, with hig mug on one side and his wump (comic mis-pronunciation of rump) on the other

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