Sister Souljah moment

A Sister Souljah moment is a politician's calculated public repudiation of an extremist person, statement, group, or position that is perceived to have some association with the politician's own party.[1]

It has been described as "a key moment when the candidate takes what at least appears to be a bold stand against certain extremes within their party"[2] and as "a calculated denunciation of an extremist position or special interest group."[3] This act is intended to be a signal to centrist voters that the politician is not beholden to those positions or interest groups. However, such a repudiation runs the risk of alienating some of the politician's allies and the party's base voters. The term is named after the hip hop artist Sister Souljah.[3]

  1. ^ "Time for a 'Sister Souljah' moment". July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  2. ^ Brando (March 5, 2012). "Mitt's Sister Souljah Moment". Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Vennochi, Joan (September 16, 2007). "Sister Souljah moments". The Boston Globe.