Throw "under the bus" under the bus!

[Pangloss]

Is it time to throw 'under the bus' under the bus?

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08184/894024-51.stm

 

The euphemistic phrase, which now also means jettisoning a political liability, has taken on a twisted and ubiquitous life of its own. The presumptive Democratic nominee seems to be a leader of the pack among under-the-bus flingers, slingers and tossers, according to cable news pundits and blogosphere scribes.

 

Mr. Obama has been accused of heaving his white grandmother; his former foreign policy adviser, Samantha Power; the former head of his vice presidential vetting committee, Jim Johnson; the Muslim community; public financing of presidential campaigns; his not-quite-e-mail-pal, Scarlett Johansson; and even his short-lived customized presidential seal -- all under the bus.

 

He's not alone. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, has been accused of flinging conservative radio talk-show host Bill Cunningham and the Revs. John Hagee and Ron Parsley under the bus, too.

 

The Wikipedia entry on the phrase has an amusing sidebar, fleshing out a tidbit from the above article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throw_under_the_bus

 

Etymologists trace the popularization of the expression to Cyndi Lauper[1], who was quoted by The Washington Post in 1984: "In the rock ’n’ roll business, you are either on the bus or under it. Playing “Feelings” with Eddie and the Condos in a buffet bar in Butte is under the bus."

 

ROFL! There's also a great example from the same entry:

 

* "He not only threw me under the bus, he backed up and ran over me again." Larry Craig on Mitt Romney

 

Anyway, the Wikipedia article cites an NPR story saying the phrase has been used in over 400 political stories over the last six months. Time to throw it under the bus!

Edited July 3, 2008 by Pangloss

[john5746]

I would rather throw flip-flop under the bus, but maybe I'll have a different opinion next week.

[Pangloss]

How about:

 

"...a deep, abiding faith..."

 

That's one of my personal pet peeves. Also "sea-change" gets under my skin for some reason.

[iNow]

That's one of my personal pet peeves. Also "sea-change" gets under my skin for some reason.

I don't think I've ever heard that before. "sea change?"

 

 

I would rather throw flip-flop under the bus, but maybe I'll have a different opinion next week.

 

Funny.

When I first began reading it, I thought, "yeah, that's a good one. Me too." .. then I just started laughing.

 

 

 

Perhaps we can throw systematic placement of people into tiny little black and white ideological buckets "under the bus." I don't know about you, but I'm a complex being with varying views and opinions (there is a lot of gray area in my gray matter), and calling me a liberal or a conservative just doesn't capture my essence or approach to this universe.

[Phi for All]

I think they're mis-using it in some of those instances. Trying things and finding out they don't work and subsequently getting rid of them is not "throwing them under the bus".

 

To me, being thrown under the bus is the equivalent of George Carlin's "Do what you want to the girl, but leave me alone!" bit (from Words You Never Hear). It's a totally unexpected betrayal rather than a discarded attempt.

[Pangloss]

I don't think I've ever heard that before. "sea change?"

 

Yah, it's a popular meme, kinda like "tipping point". Was real big a couple years ago, not so much recently.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seachange

[JohnB]

Pangloss, I'll see your "sea change" and raise you a "journey".

[Pangloss]

Excellent! I call with "a ripple effect on the economy"!

[Sisyphus]

These are some pretty controversial remarks.

[Pangloss]

I issue a heartfelt apology for them!

 

(Gee, 368 Google News hits on that phrase for just the past 30 days! 755 for "ripple effect". Your "controversial remarks" generated 2,417. "Emotional Journey" is not bad at 2,468. "Tipping Point" tips in at 4,634. "Sea change" seems to be the winner, though, with over 15,000! "Under the bus" draws over 17k, but of course that one's skewed by a single subject.)

Edited July 7, 2008 by Pangloss

[swansont]

Pangloss, I'll see your "sea change" and raise you a "journey".

 

Paradigm shift.

 

From when you hang out with crackpots or business execs more than politicians.