As the press reflects on Ronald Reagan and his legacy, we will present, in his memory, relevant words taken from those press reflections.

acolyte – a devoted follower or attendant (also, in church, one who assists the celebrant in the performance of liturgical rites)

talisman – an object as a charm to avert evil or good fortune; figuratively, something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects
[Does the quotation below use this word incorrectly?]

quote:

---

Like all consequential Presidents, Mr. Reagan influenced a generation of followers in both political parties. In the GOP, his acolytes were the candidates who finally took Congress in 1994.
– Wall Street Journal, June 7, 2004

In a recent history of the Republican Party, Lewis L. Gould of the University of Texas rates Reagan as the most important president in terms of his influence over the party, but gives him a more mixed report as chief executive. "Reagan transformed the Republican Party into a conservative unit with a diminishing band of moderates on its fringes. ... Reagan thus serves as a talisman of what it means to be a Republican."
– David Von Drehle, The Washington Post, June 6, 2004

---

>[Does the quotation below use this word incorrectly?] "Reagan thus serves as a talisman of what it means to be a Republican"

I think so; paradigm or archetype would seem a better fit (if you're in need of *that sort of word).

"...paradigm or archetype would seem a better fit."

So, with Reagan's death, we've got "Paradigm Lost?"

Today's quotation gives us two words.

nascent – coming into existence, or having recently come into existence
[from root meaning "to be born", as "Mrs. Ellen Jones, née Smith"]

hegemony – preponderant influence or authority; leadership; domination (usu. applied to relation of a state to its neighbors or allies
[accent on either first or second syllable; the latter is more prevalent]

quote:

---

His rhetoric against nascent Middle Eastern terrorism notwithstanding, his administration undertook to supply arms and spare parts to Iran in an arms-for-hostages deal that seriously undermined his second term. His administration's resistance to federal hegemony in social issues led to significant retreats in Civil Rights.
– Los Angeles Times, June 6, 2004

---

A (female) reader notes: I was especially pleased to learn the word racklettes, as I've been obsessed with elbow wrinkles lately, gratified that some part of my body seems to remain a little younger-looking than others my same age, which, as of Friday, is 39.

It may be of interest that hegemony is derived from Hegemone, one of the early forms of goddess who became the Greek "Charites."

From wordiq.com -- In Greek mythology, Auxo ("increaser") was one of the first generation of Horae, worshipped alongside Hegemone in Athens.

Robert said, "[H]egemony is derived from Hegemone, one of the early forms of goddess who became the Greek 'Charites.'"

So it's an eponym?

clerisy – the well-educated elite class; the intelligentsia

reaganomics– the economic policies of President Reagan, esp. those of promoting the unrestricted action of free-market forces in commerce and reducing the taxation of earnings from investment

quote:

---

Instead of dreaming about creating an educated "clerisy" ... Mr. Reagan was a populist who argued that "Bedtime for Bonzo made more sense than what they were doing in Washington." His was the conservatism not of country clubs and boardrooms, but of talk radio, precinct meetings and tax revolts.
– John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2004

"Reaganomics" is now a household word describing the policies that pulled the U.S. out of its 1970s funk and set it on its path to today's robust economic health.
– George Melloan, Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2004

---

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wordcrafter,

fractious– 1. unruly; tending to make trouble 2. quarrelsome; irritable

quote:

---

Patiently good-humoured, he proved to be superbly gifted for the fractious processes of labour negotiation, and was active in the union for 15 years.
– Hugh Brogan, The Guardian, June 7, 2004

---