Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective In a manner reminiscent of the style of former U.S. President Bill Clinton; usually involving a hypertechnical parsing of words.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Clinton +‎ -esque

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Examples

  • Ari Fleischer into a rhetorical dance that can only be called Clintonesque : conceding on the one hand that the claim made by the President was based on forged evidence that Iraq had tried to buy " yellow cake" refined uranium from Niger, but at the same time maintaining that "I see nothing that goes broader that would indicate that there was no basis to the President's broader statement."

    TIME.com: Top Stories 2003

  • Obama answers questions in a "Clintonesque" fasion and complains when he gets called out on it.

    Associated Press Gets One Right 2009

  • Obama answers questions in a "Clintonesque" fasion and complains when he gets called out on it.

    Associated Press Gets One Right 2009

  • There's nothing objectively wrong, but it's just "Clintonesque"?

    Updates On The Clintons' Tax Returns 2009

  • What I want to know is if Edwards still wants to be "Clintonesque".

    Shrum: I Worried That I'd Look Left-Wing If Edwards Voted Against Iraq War 2009

  • In the 1990s, "Clintonesque" became a by-word for political double-speak.

    Hilliam Clinton 2007

  • Lazio also accused Hillary of being "Clintonesque," completing his conflation of her record with her husband's.

    Hillary and Gender, One More Time 2007

  • And on that score, I think they will view many of these answers as what I style "Clintonesque" and trying to parse his involvement in the Sampson review process as opposed to his other involvement.

    CNN Transcript Apr 19, 2007 2007

  • Certainly not kind of Clintonesque in that he -- you know, during the campaign certainly President Clinton was, you know, played cards with reporters.

    CNN Transcript Jun 6, 2004 2004

  • Most importantly, this official said, was Vice President Gore's position, which is strong support for affirmative action, but when shown some other statements Senator Lieberman had made, the official said that his reaction today, his explanation today, was -- quote -- "Clintonesque," and it was not meant as a compliment.

    CNN Transcript - Special Event: Democratic National Convention: Revisiting the Kennedy Legacy - August 15, 2000 2000

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