Cordon sanitaire
Posted by Bruce Kahl on September 27, 2001
In Reply to: Cordon sanitaire posted by ESC on September 27, 2001
: Speaking of the U.S. president, veteran reporter Helen Thomas said, "You know he relies on this 'cordon sanitaire' around him." What's that?
I guess it is George Dubya's cabinet, father's friends and handlers, a buffer zone:
cor·don sa·ni·taire
PRONUNCIATION: kôr-dô sä-n-târ
NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. cor·dons sa·ni·taires ( kôr-dô sä-n-târ)
1. A barrier designed to prevent a disease or other undesirable
condition from spreading. 2. A chain of buffer states organized
around a nation considered ideologically dangerous or potentially
hostile.
ETYMOLOGY: French, quarantine line : cordon, line + sanitaire, sanitary
- Cordon sanitaire ESC 09/27/01