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Reader question: Please explain “red meat” in this headline: Trump focuses on taxes in red meat speech before conservatives. My comments: Red meat refers to meat that is raw and red in color. Beef, for example, is a typical red meat, as in contrast to white meat, such as chicken meat which is lighter in hue. Beef is considered a stronger meat than chicken meat. That’s why some devout vegetarians can eat a little chicken meat or even pork but cannot tolerate beef at all. But among meat eaters, red meat is sometimes treasured as it seems more substantial. A full belly of red meat, for example, will take one farther afield than a belly full of bread and cabbages. Or so it seems – as more and more people realize that in the long run vegetable-heavy diets are actually better in helping them build stamina. Vegetable-heavy diets are much healthier as well. But anyways, returning to our main talking point, red meat represents raw, basic food that serves our basic appetite. Our basic appetite represents our basic needs, and metaphorically speaking our lowest needs. Imagine feeding red meat to a hungry dog, and you get the picture. So, therefore, in our example, in modifying “speech”, “red meat” means this: (Donald) Trump’s words may be raw, crude and unrefined, but they are exactly what the conservatives want to hear. No doubt, Trump tells them he will cut taxes. | 
