Definition
Aggressive, sometimes ruthless political tactics that prioritize winning over collegiality or fairness. It's chess if chess players could publicly destroy their opponent's reputation between moves.
Example Usage
The campaign shifted to hardball politics, releasing opposition research and running attack ads questioning the opponent's business ethics.
Origin
From baseball, distinguishing 'hardball' from gentler 'softball'; popularized as political term in late 20th century
Fun Fact
Chris Matthews named his political talk show 'Hardball' specifically to emphasize confrontational, no-holds-barred political discussion.
Source: Campaign strategy terminology
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “hardball politics” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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