Washington’s Unofficial Catch Phrase of the Week: “Adult Conversation”

Leave it to the budget to bring about a new Washington catch phrase, at least for this week.

President Obama seems to think that talks in D.C. have been a little childish, and Tuesday urged a more "adult conversation" about the budget. And the phrase has caught on -- variations of it even came up in the White House press briefing nine times Wednesday.

Not that there have been "goo-goos," "ga-gas," and "pasghetti" thrown around by lawmakers in D.C., but in the feverish debate about bills and budgets, name-calling and jabs at opponents comes with the territory.

President Obama didn't refer to any particular chatter in Washington, but at a press conference Tuesday asked for a bit more age-appropriate dialogue. When questioned by Fox News' own Mike Emanuel about the budget and tax hikes and how they would have an impact jobs, Obama said, "My hope is that what's different this time is, is we have an adult conversation where everybody says, ‘Here's what's important and here's how we're going to pay for it.'"

Then in Wednesday's White House briefing, the term "adult conversation(s)" was used five times including both reporters and new Press Secretary Jay Carney. And on top of that, the word "adult" was mentioned four additional times in reference to the same theme -- things like "adult, civil talk" and "adult discussion."

And for those inclined, AEHQ wouldn't be surprised if the catch phrase became a drinking game of sorts (for those over 21 of course). Political observers in D.C. love to come up with drinking games during Washington events or speeches (drink your beer every time Nancy Pelosi blinks during the State of the Union, take a shot when President Obama says "hope"), so perhaps this will become the latest political game for the over-21 crowd: having "adult conversations" that happen over adult beverages.