If-by-Whiskey
An argument that supports both sides of an issue by using terms that are selectively emotionally sensitive.
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Origin
Named after a 1952 speech by Mississippi state representative Noah S. "Soggy" Sweat Jr. on the question of prohibition. In it, he condemned whiskey as "the devil's brew" while also praising it as "the oil of conversation" — masterfully taking both sides without committing to either.
Updated February 22, 2026