Interesting thought on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s suggestion that Sen. Barack Obama “has not done (his share of) spadework”
Although typically “spadework” is considered a political word. Here is an interesting article on the word “spade”
“spade” as a noun note that the word can be used as a racial slur: “Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a black person”; “Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a Black person’; “Derogatory meaning ‘black person’ is 1928, from the color of the playing card symbol”; or “(ethnic slur) extremely offensive name for a Black person.”
Many people in the USA regard “call a spade a spade” as a racist comparison — or worry that it might be thought so — and there have been complaints about those who have used it. It is rare to find it in American newspapers, and writers are often advised to avoid it.
to check out the whole article: http://mediamatters.org/items/200801150021
