# Who Coined "Soft Bigotry..." Phrase? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 30, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-coined-soft-bigotry-phrase/266906 "2004-09-30T19:41:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Brother\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_brother_1/32/3513_2.png) [@Little\_Brother\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Brother_1)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-coined-soft-bigotry-phrase/266906/1 "2004-09-30T19:41:07Z")
It seems to me that the phrase, “the soft bigotry of low expectations” has been around for a while, but lately I run into it everywhere! Can anyone tell me who coined this phrase? On a slightly tangential note, can some expert search engine master offer a tip on how to use search engines for this type of inquiry? If one simply enters the phrase, it results-- surprise!-- in a million listings in which the phrase has been used. I’ve tried to set it off in quotes, or add terms like “source” or “origin of,” but it doesn’t seem to refine the search. I’m confident that this nagging question will be accurately answered before sundown-- no “soft expectations” for _this_ site! ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-coined-soft-bigotry-phrase/266906/2 "2004-09-30T19:59:05Z")
_“soft bigotry of low expectations” speechwriter_ yields [this site](http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/la-092201gerson.story) > [@](#): > > Previously, Gerson was credited with coining an elegant phrase to encapsulate Bush’s compassionate conservatism: “The soft bigotry of low expectations.” The president still uses the line to denounce a mind-set that presumes students from low-income homes are unlikely to perform as well as others. The words were apparently used by candidate Bush [in 1999](http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/spring02/name.htm), I assume for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-coined-soft-bigotry-phrase/266906/3 "2004-09-30T20:06:56Z")
Anyone know if Gerson was trying to be ironic when he wrote that? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![leenmi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@leenmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leenmi)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-coined-soft-bigotry-phrase/266906/4 "2004-09-30T20:30:24Z")
I’ll be darned. I always thought Dr. Rice gave Bush the phrase. Oh, well. Doesn’t matter to me who wrote it, I still love the phrase.