"Troglodyte"

       Jerry Brown, our redoubtable governor for the second time in my life, held news conference on the steps of the national capitol and observed:  "About immigration reform the Republicans are at best troglodyte and at worst unChristian,"  prompting some KPCC-FM commentators this morning to note that Brown has to get away two or three thousand miles to make pithy, newsy comments he seldom seems to make in California.

       OK, your faithful language lover had to refamiliarize himself with the word troglodyte (having looked it up at least once before):  Merriam-Webster helps with Greek trogle, "hole, cave" and dyein "to enter."  So either "a member of a primitive people dwelling in caves" or "a person resembling a troglodyte (as in reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes)."