Bunkum

Bunkum, a phrase used in the United States for mere bombastic speech-making, intended for the newspapers rather than to persuade the audience. There is a county named Buncombe in North Carolina, to which the word seems originally to have been due. Bartlett quotes from Wheeler's History of North Carolina: 'Several years ago, in congress, the member for this district arose to address the house, without any extraordinary powers in manner or matter to interest the audience. Many members left the hall. Very naively he told those who remained that they might go too: he should speak for some time, but he "was only talking for Buncombe."