Election Metaphors

This list of election metaphors was gathered from headlines and articles around the world. Several of the metaphors are used by both reporters and the campaigning candidates, but most are descriptions by the press alone. (This list is not a collection of metaphor examples from candidates' speeches nor election terms that have become metaphors).

Boxing / Fighting

• round

• contender "Election contender arrested over `freedom of speech' row" (Stourbridge News)

• corner "Cindy's Campaign Corner" (VoteCindy.ca)

• punch

• blow

• swinging Clinton, Obama come out swinging (Daily Press)

• hit

• fray Hundreds get in on political fray (The Columbian)

• knockout

• one-two punch "WBZ preps web-TV one-two election punch" (LostRemote.com)

• victory

• poke Clinton, Obama take pokes at McCain in Va. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

• throw in the towel

• heavyweight

• fight Energized Huckabee vows to fight on in GOP race (MarketWatch)

• pummel Obama pummels Clinton in White House clean sweep (Daily Times)

• strike Obama keeps rolling as Huckabee strikes back (Irish Times)

• prize Keeping their eyes on the Potomac prize (Medill Reports)

• beat Obama Looks to Beat Clinton in 'Potomac' Primaries (ShortNews.com)

• strong Clinton says she's the stronger Democrat (Daily Press)
  

Racing

• race Election still looks a one-horse race ... (The Independent)

• horserace

• turned the corner

• neck and neck Democratic Ticket Runs Neck and Neck (Blogger News Network)

• lead Obama set to establish lead over Clinton (Guardian Unlimited)

• overtakes Clinton shaken as Obama overtakes her (The Age)

• front 

• distance ...McCain seeks a little more distance (Action 3 News)

• frontrunner McCain emerges as GOP frontrunner (Quad)

• ahead Mason-Dixon Has McCain And Obama Ahead In Virginia (AHN)

• tie Dems Nearly Tied in Polls (WBKO)

• pace The pace picks up for primaries here (Washington Times)

Football / Sports

• ballot bowl CNN's Ballot Bowl 2008 (CNN)

• tackle The senator...was asked how she will tackle Sen. Obama's tight grip on the youth vote. (Bates Student)

• scrum Obama, Clinton battle in delegate scrum (Arab Times)

• touchdown ...Touchdown: Clinton... (Los Angeles Times)

• defensive position ...the Huckabee/Romney axis smacks of an extremely defensive position... (CNSNews.com)

• sweep Obama Poised to Sweep Into Delegate Lead Over Clinton (Bloomberg)

• score Obama and Huckabee Score Political Wins (580 CFRA Radio)

• pitch Clinton, Obama Pitch to Va. Democrats (The Associated Press)

Chemistry

• litmus test Virginia Voting Is a Litmus Test for McCain (Washington Post)

• chemistry Why Obama's Smiling...Clearly he has chemistry. (TheTyee.ca)

Guns

• showdown Potomac Primary: The Showdown in Virginia (Washington Post)

• duel Huckabee Wins Kansas; Democrats Duel (NPR)

• aim Obama, Hillary aim at McCain (Chicago Sun Times)

Motion

• momentum Primary test for Obama momentum (BBC News)

• bounce ...Obama, McCain Look for Bounce... (FOXNews)

• push Clinton seeks to slow Obama push (BBC News)

• slide Clinton Loses Virginia As February Slide Continues (The Nation)

• bump The Colbert bump (The Colbert Report)

• pivot Potomac primary may prove pivotal (BBC News)

• roll Democrat Obama rolls to two big US wins (elEconomista.es)

• scrambling Scrambling for primary edge (St Petersburg Times)

• boost Boost for Obama in five states (Glasgow Evening Times)
  

Travel

• trail On the Presidential Campaign Trail (Associated Press)

• ride Candidates see rocky ride ahead (Baltimore Sun)

• bandwagon Barack's bandwagon keeps on rolling (EuroNews.net)

• road Rocky Roads To The Nominations (Town Hall)

Geography

• landslide Obama Landslide in Weekend Primaries (Spiegel Online)

• seismic Dems expect seismic shift in '08 (SwampPolitics.com)

• shockwaves ...his triumph sent shockwaves through Clinton’s campaign... (Times Online)

War

• battle The Battle for the Democratic Prize (New York Times)

• front lines On the front lines with Barack Obama (Tufts Daily)

• seize McCain seizes command (Hindu)

• tactics Some New Tactics For Clinton's Campaign (Sky News)

• strategy Clinton Banks on Long-Term Strategy (FOXNews)

• front All Quiet on the Election Front (OhmyNews International)

• battleground Virginia Is Next Key Battleground For Dems (CBS News)

• attack Clinton Says She, Not Obama, Is Prepared for Republican Attacks (Bloomberg)

• camp Fresh Off Black Saturday, Clinton Camp Moves On To Virginia (FOX News)

• warpath Clinton sells dream as Obama hits warpath (Sydney Morning Herald)

• fan out Candidates and Supporters Fan Out for the Final Push (Washington Post)

• holds off McCain holds off Huckabee (Reiten Television)

• take Obama Takes VA; GOP Too Close to Call (WIBW)

• fleet Obama's Volunteer Fleet in Virginia (Town Hall)

• war Iraq Divides Clinton and Obama in Electability War (Huffington Post)

• claim Huckabee Claims Kansas (KNBC.com)

• surge (derived from "troop surge") With a Surge, Obama Makes His Case (New York Times)