When was the phrase “smoke-filled room” first used in politics?
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Smoke-filled room is used in politics to mean: a room (as in a hotel) in which a small group of politicians carry on negotiations Merriam-Webster The phrase originated in the U.S. to describe decision making done behind closed doors, cloaked in secrecy, and in the early 20th century, probably clouded in literal tobacco smoke. Merriam-Webster and other sources point to 1920 as the origin date of the expression. Indeed, early uses of this that I can find phrase appear to be in reference to the 1920 Republican nomination of Warren Harding, but I can't find any text references that actually date back to 1920 or the closely subsequent years. For example, this clipping refers...