nattering nabobs of negativism,
Penned by speechwriter William Safire, the "nattering nabobs of negativity" was the phrase used by former Vice President, Spiro Agnew, to refer to the "liberal" media. Agnew had reason to discourage press scrutiny: not only was he in the Nixon administration, but he would later be convicted of tax evasion and money laundering in connection to bribes he took as governor of Maryland.
Ironically, the "nattering nabobs of negativity" more appropriately describes Nixon's vice president and his political progeny. Agnew's brand of rhetoric was shrill and aggressive. He questioned the patriotism of any who opposed the Nixon administration's Vietnam policy. He constantly and consistently defined GOP enemies as "communists" and "hippies" and saved his harshest words for those that opposed the war. In short, he was a pioneer of the rhetoric that the Republican Party and their conservative allies perfected in the 1990s through talk radio and the 1994 campaign, rhetoric that would later permeate all things conservative. Rhetoric that was bitter, fantastic, and divisive. ...
That’s how I remember it. Us 70 year olds can remember a few things...Wait...What did I just say?
I remember reading an article at the time of the speech which claimed that a little know woman from Baltimore was the originator of a number of these phrases. I do not believe she wrote speeches but was a clever wordsmith. Cannot remember who she was. The historical record is, I think, inaccurate.
Well, isn't "communists" and "hippies" exactly who they were?
After all, we do have the Venona Intercepts to prove exactly who was recruiting for and directing the anti-war movement.