By NANCY BENAC
Associated Press
WASHINGTON – The capital is a fickle place. With a new year arriving, it’s time to rethink capital trends, especially as more power shifts to Republicans.
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OUT: Putdowns. President, Republicans pledge more civil tone now that midterm elections are past. (Hmmm, we’ll see about that.)
IN: Pat-downs. Government goes for up-close and personal airport security checks.
OUT: Stealth smoking. Aides say Barack Obama hasn’t snuck a smoke in months.
IN: Smoking Camels. Speaker-designate John Boehner’s open about his bad habit.
OUT: Blue dogs. Democrats’ conservative coalition in the House loses more than half its members in midterms.
IN: Mama grizzlies. More than a dozen Republican women endorsed by Sarah Palin head for Congress, governor’s offices and elsewhere.
OUT: “2012,” the movie. Scary film asks who will survive.
IN: 2012, the campaign. Asks the same question.
OUT: Cap and trade. Obama backs away from his plan to control global warming by placing a ceiling on greenhouse gases.
IN: Repeal and replace. GOP battle cry against the president’s health care overhaul.
OUT: Orange. Government’s color-coded terror warning system, which has been on orange for four years for the aviation sector, is on its way out.
IN: Orange. Boehner’s skin tone, which he says is just naturally dark, as mocked by comedian Jon Stewart and Obama.
OUT: Death panels. No, they’re not part of the new health care law. Really.
IN: Deficit panel. Bipartisan commission lays out roadmap for how Congress might tackle budget deficit.
OUT: Grandkids. Out-going Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s passion.
IN: Golf. Speaker-in-waiting Boehner’s passion. (And Obama’s, too.)
OUT: “Yes we can.” Rallying cry from the 2008 Obama campaign.
IN: “Hell no, you can’t.” Boehner’s viral denunciation of the health care bill.
OUT: Will.i.am. Singer’s pro-Obama “Yes We Can” video debuted to millions during presidential campaign.
IN: Don Draper. Boehner’s alter-ego on TV’s “Mad Men.”
OUT: Rahm. Obama former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel leaves D.C. to seek mayor’s job in Chicago.
IN: Rove. Former Bush mastermind Karl Rove gets credit for big role in GOP’s midterm rout.
OUT: Bok choy. Chinese vegetable among healthy foods introduced in House cafeterias under Pelosi.
IN: Food that “I can pronounce.” Boehner’s food preferences.
OUT: Beer summit. Shorthand for Obama’s 2009 sit-down with black professor and white policeman at center of national racial flare-up.
IN: Slurpee summit. Shorthand for Obama’s first face-to-face meeting with congressional leaders after Republicans take control of House.
OUT: Gun control. Anathema to tea party types.
IN: Young Guns. Nickname for Boehner’s deputies – and perhaps unruly rabble-rousers – in House GOP leadership.
OUT: “Grab a mop.” Obama’s advice to Republicans, then in the minority, urging them to help clean up country’s economic mess.
IN: Shellacking. Obama’s description of what Republicans pulled off in midterm elections.
OUT: Oil Spills. Gulf gusher preoccupied Washington for months.
IN: Info Spills. WikiLeaks pulls back the curtain on D.C. secrets.
OUT: Dance concerts. White House series showcasing dancers is nice, but can’t compete with reality TV.
IN: Dance contests. “Dancing With the Stars” gets ratings jolt from Bristol Palin.
OUT: John McCain. Refreshingly maverick senator is no longer refreshing or maverick.
IN: Mitch McConnell. Senate Republican leader gets bigger GOP caucus, more clout.
OUT: Stimulus. Critics question impact of Obama’s $800 billion economic package.
IN: Subpoenas. GOP itching to investigate Obama administration programs.
OUT: Earmarks. Lots of talk afoot about banning bills that channel money to lawmakers’ pet projects.
IN: Phonemarks. Workaround in which legislators work the phone and press agencies to bankroll pet projects.
OUT: Gardening. Enough already with all the talk about eating our veggies.
IN: Gridlock. Gloomy predictions for progress in a time of divided government.
OUT: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Congress, Obama decide it doesn’t work.
IN: Don’t Tax, Don’t Spend. Republican mantra on federal budget.
OUT: Michaele Salahi. White House party-crasher and Desperate Housewife over-stays her 15 minutes of fame.
IN: Michele Bachmann. Two-term House Republican and tea party darling says she helped put gavel in Boehner’s hands.
OUT: Michael Steele. Chairman of Republican National Committee has shaky support as he seeks second term.
IN: Michael Steel. Busy days ahead for Boehner spokesman.
OUT: “I can see Russia from my house.” Tina Fey’s oft-repeated mock of Sarah Palin, who used Alaska’s proximity to Russia as foreign policy cred during 2008 campaign.
IN: “I can see November from my house.” Palin’s midterm rallying cry as she helped Republicans win races from New Hampshire to California.
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AP Writer Phil Elliott contributed to this report.