The dog-whistle dictionary for the 2012 GOP. [View All]

[Lunabelle]

By Sarah Posner

When appealing to Christian conservatives, Republican presidential candidates sometimes use phrases, rhetoric and imagery that are unknown to voters unfamiliar either with the religious meaning of such language or where they fit in the mythology of the "Christian nation." Thus candidates can signal sympathy with religious conservatives without making overt appeals that might alienate more secular voters.

Such phrases have become popularly known as "dog whistles," a reference to the high-pitched devices that emit sounds inaudible to humans but attention-grabbing for canines.

The candidates for the GOP's 2012 nomination have used dog-whistle phrases in previous debates and may again in the debate tonight at the Reagan Library. Here is guide to what to listen for and what these phrases mean...

http://www.salon.com/news/2012_elections/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/09/07/dog_whistle_dictionary