New Cliché: Playing Politics
Hey Politican! I'm not moved when you whine about the other politicians playing politics. You say it with such conviction, but did you really miss that part of the job description when you were campaigning for office? Is it really a surprise?
Didn't think so.
In that case, do you really think I believe you're the good guy, or the innocent victim of wicked politics and they're the bad guy, the cynical politician?
You may be underestimating our cynicism about the nature of your business.
(Just in case it's not obvious, I'm looking at BOTH of you, Barack Obama and Dick Cheney. Not that you were talking about each other, but I've heard both of you whining exactly this way.)
I'm sure the rabid democrat agrees when a democrat accuses a republican of playing politics. I'm equally sure that the rabid republican agrees when a republican accuses a democrat of playing politics.
I'm pretty sure that most of us in the middle, left or right of center, see through this rhetorical flourish as a bunch of finger pointing that reveals as much about the accuser as it does the accused.