throw red meat v. to appease, satisfy, rally, or excite one’s (political) supporters. Editorial Note: Usually transitive: throw read meat to the lions, the wolves, the sharks, etc. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Why does the term vegetarian cause so much confusion? Some people assume it means avoiding red meat but still eating chicken. And is there a term for a vegetarian who also eats fish and poultry? Plus, screwball comedies from the 1930s mix slapstick...
Ilima in Vancouver, Canada, reports not everyone understands when she tells them she’s vegetarian. Some people assume, for example, that she doesn’t eat red meat but may enjoy chicken. Part of the issue may involve what linguists call prototype...