red meat

plural red meats

1. countableuncountableMeats such as beef that are dark red in colour when uncooked.
2. idiomaticuncountablegovernmentFresh, inspiring, or inflammatory topics or information.

   On environmental regulation, taxes and other topics that are red meat to economic conservatives, Mr. Bush has delivered.

   2002 July 10, Richard W. Stevenson, “Bush's Dance: Moral Outrage Without Pain to Loyalists”, in New York Times, retrieved 07 Jan 2010

   5 more examples

   To mention Bishop Manning's name in a city room is equivalent to telling the city editor that a rip-roaring good story is brewing. A bishop for almost ten years, he has provided the hungry presses of New York with more red meat than Al Capone, Aimee Semple McPherson, Billy Sunday, 'Legs' Diamond, Albert Einstein, Charles Augusts Lindbergh, Texas Guinan, or Nicholas Murray Butler.

   1931, Robert G.M. Neville, "Prima Donnas in the Pulpit," Forum and Century, June (retrieved 10 Apr. 2021)

   “Keep it up,” urged Truman. “You’re doing a great job for the country and, incidentally, providing me with red meat for campaign speeches.”

   1950, Drew Pearson, Washington Merry-Go-Round, “Trust-Buster Truman”, May 1, 1950 (syndicated, e.g., Prescott Evening Courier, May 1, 1950, p. 4)

   Given the fiery tone of the conference, Anita Hill's speech must have come as a disappointment. She threw no red meat to the audience.

   1992 October 27, John Leo, “Hill's Potential Stunted By Gender-Focused Politics”, in Seattle Times, retrieved 07 Jan 2010

   The decision to press ahead with the rationalisation, while there is still uncertainty about the bank's strategic direction, gives the City some red meat to chew on.

   1999 May 21, Alex Brummer, “Sir Peter throws the City meat to chew on”, in guardian.co.uk, retrieved 07 Jan 2010

   The passage, red meat for phone-ins and columnists ever since, argued less politely for an improvement in our national work ethic: […

   2012 August 22, Andy Beckett, “Britannia Unchained: the rise of the new Tory right”, in The Guardian