WASHINGTON – Not too long ago there was lofty talk of doing something big. Of a reasonable path. Of a grand bargain.
That was a few weeks and a few thousand tortured metaphors ago.
The debate over raising the federal debt limit has triggered a spiral of rhetorical one-upmanship that has all sides stretching for new analogies and catchy one-liners to sway public opinion. Stretching far enough to pull a few muscles.
It was one thing when the president spoke of his desire for a “big” deal.
And quite another when press secretary Jay Carney explained that “reasonableness and bigness walk down the street hand in hand.”