Mr. D'Amato refers to his opponent as "the little wimp" and "that plastic Bobby doll."

Mr. Sestak, who is still serving in the House, refers to his opponent as "Congressman Toomey" at every opportunity.

Referring to his opponent, he said, "And I've not once seen him."

In the broadest sense, the term covers any rhetoric in which one refers to one's opponent in an ad hominem manner.

Now he loses no opportunity to refer to his opponent as "a Florio clone."

Mr. Forrester has nevertheless continued to ridicule the maneuver, referring to his new opponent as the "Torricelli-Lautenberg machine."

"I didn't see a punch thrown in the whole series against Florida," Robinson said, referring to the Devils' first-round opponent.

Referring to his opponent exclusively as "Pops".

"He wants to argue the other side, he's a big-time lobbyist and lawyer, he can do it," Mr. Spitzer said, referring to his opponent.

Newman, of course, was referring to Bowe's next opponent.