From NPR's "Fresh Air", from WHYY
The Ghost Of Populism Walks Again — Again
By Geoff Nunberg
The term "populist" has been heavily used by the media lately, most often coupled with "rage," but also with "AIG" and "pitchfork." Linguist Geoff Nunberg traces the roots of the term and considers its current usage.
Nunberg teaches at the University of California at Berkeley School of Information, and he is the former chair of the American Heritage Dictionary usage panel. He is the author of The Way We Talk Now, Going Nucular, and Talking Right.