Angelo ParodiJan 4, 2023
Joanne Freeman

In honor of The-House-Can't-Elect-A-Speaker Day:

In 1856--a Speaker election that took 133 ballots--a congressman attacked a reporter, biting his finger so badly that a newspaper described it as "catawompously chawed up."

I'd wager there's some modern-day catawampous chawing going on right now behind the scenes.

#SpeakerOfTheHouse #politics

Jan 4, 2023 at 12:37amWeb
Show threadGray KJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 great word! Can't wait to use it!
Show threadPetra MohrJan 4, 2023
@KJGFM @jbf1755
Indeed 🤩
Show threadBryan HanselJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 "catawampous" was in common use where I grew up. Is it not common across the US?
Show thread@batyalee 🌿Jan 4, 2023
@bryanhansel @jbf1755 Definitely not (California) but it's a great word and should definitely be brought back. 😆
Show threadWarner CrockerJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 We need more journalism that uses phrases like “catawompously chawed up” these days.
Show threadPomvoxJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 up next:
Throttlebottom, snollygoster, and bumfuzzled! This is making the news much more entertaining. Thanks for kicking it off with cattywampus :)
Show threadAxl WarpshaftJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 In my retail days, one of my managers used that word all the time. Weird.
Show threadJRJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 1856 and 1923 and today.Close to peaks of Christian Nationalist thought. Is this just a consequence of an energized, inflexible radical faction in all cases?
Show threadPennyAK1Jan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 Alex Morgan on MSNBC discussed this tonight, & described Congress people fighting each other including the Preston Brooks/Sumner situation.
Show threadFrank The TankJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 you don't hear about much catawampus these days. Let's all catawampus a bit more.
Show threadDerek GottliebJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 Boosting so others see it, PLUS adding that you can find a whole history of southern (especially Virginian) honor culture from which "catawompous chawing" derives in Jessica Lowe's MURDER IN THE SHENANDOAH. It's excellent.
Show threadJim hayesJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 yes, don’t let the fingers get too close to the pizza
Show threadGrnLakeRunnrJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 LOL
Show threaddarklylitJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 hi, do you have any links to that whole saga? NYT was saying that it was a “recurring nightmare” and now I want to learn more
Show threadllewellyJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755
I would feel differently about this toot if the metal detectors were still in place.
Show threadCatherine Murton StoehrJan 4, 2023
@jbf1755 😆