If you read a lot of political analysis and commentary in the mainstream media and online you can’t escape one fact: a lot of it is peppered with political cliches that are tossed around and become grating and are often also inaccurate. GO HERE to read the always-superb Walter Shapiro’s take on the worst cliches from “tax and spend” to maverick.
On the other hand, at the end of the day there are defining moments in politics, particularly when politicians try to change the subject and just don’t get it. But we never use cliches here. You betcha. Dude. (Whatever.)
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.