--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When politicians complain about the…" description: "\"When politicians complain about the media, it strikes me as resembling footballers complaining about the umpire.\" — Tony Abbott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/tony-abbott-1939_complaining_when-politicians-complain-about-the-medi_1705936.jpg" --- # When politicians complain about the media, it strikes me… ![“When politicians complain about the media, it strikes me as resembling footballers complaining about the umpire.” quote by Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/tony-abbott-1939_complaining_when-politicians-complain-about-the-medi_1705936.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/tony-abbott-1939_complaining_when-politicians-complain-about-the-medi_1705936.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/tony-abbott-1939_complaining_when-politicians-complain-about-the-medi_1705936.jpg) > “When politicians complain about the media, it strikes me as resembling footballers complaining about the umpire.” [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians blaming the media is like athletes blaming officials—both avoid responsibility. **In simple terms:** Politicians blame media like athletes blame referees. Key Takeaway Accept accountability instead of blaming. Themes politics media responsibility Mood skeptical critical Type political observational When to use this quote - press conferences - political debates - media relations Key Concepts accountability public discourse media criticism Questions to Reflect On - Why do leaders deflect criticism onto media? - How can constructive dialogue replace blame? A Different Perspective Blame may distract from substantive issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Footballer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/footballer/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Strikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strikes/) ## Related quotes > [Politicians who complain about the media are like sailors who complain about the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch-powell/politicians-who-complain-about-the-media-are-like-sailors-who/) [Enoch Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch-powell/) > [For a profession that holds dear both the ability to vivisect politicians in prose and the expectation that these carved-up subjects will not complain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-gillard/for-a-profession-that-holds-dear-both-the-ability-to-vivisect/) [Julia Gillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-gillard/) > [When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/when-the-politicians-complain-that-tv-turns-the-proceedings-into-a/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [“I would like to be an umpire when Sachin is batting, so to get the best possible view of his shots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-would-like-to-be-an-umpire-when-sachin-is-batting-so-to-get-the/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [It's an ongoing process of reinterpreting the strike zone in accordance to the rulebook. The umpires, I think, are doing an excellent job of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-alderson/it-s-an-ongoing-process-of-reinterpreting-the-strike-zone-in/) Sandy Alderson > [Umpires sometimes have a quick trigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/umpires-sometimes-have-a-quick-trigger/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [It turns out umpires and judges are not robots or traffic cameras, inertly monitoring deviations from a fixed zone of the permissible. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liu/it-turns-out-umpires-and-judges-are-not-robots-or-traffic-cameras/) [Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/) > [Wherever I look, I see signs of the commandment to honor one's parents and nowhere of a commandment that calls for the respect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/wherever-i-look-i-see-signs-of-the-commandment-to-honor-one-s-parents/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [The third umpires should be changed as often as nappies and for the same reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navjot-singh-sidhu/the-third-umpires-should-be-changed-as-often-as-nappies-and-for-the/) [Navjot Singh Sidhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navjot-singh-sidhu/) > [A good umpire is the umpire you don't even notice. He's there all afternoon but when the game is over, you don't even remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-johnson/a-good-umpire-is-the-umpire-you-don-t-even-notice-he-s-there-all/) Ban Johnson > [“Sachin is a genius in the world of cricket leaving behind all those who are only talented and intelligent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/sachin-is-a-genius-in-the-world-of-cricket-leaving-behind-all-those/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Whenever you have a tight situation and there's a close pitch, the umpire gets a squawk no matter how he calls it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-barber/whenever-you-have-a-tight-situation-and-there-s-a-close-pitch-the/) [Red Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-barber/) > [I was never given a trial. I never went before any magistrate, nor did my parents. To this day, I do not know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-never-given-a-trial-i-never-went-before-any-magistrate-nor-did/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) ## More by Tony Abbott > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [To move past fear is a cliche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/to-move-past-fear-is-a-cliche/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I don't think it's a very Christian thing to come in by the back door rather than the front door,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-very-christian-thing-to-come-in-by-the-back-door/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Whether carbon dioxide is quite the environmental villain that some people make it out to be is not yet proven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/whether-carbon-dioxide-is-quite-the-environmental-villain-that-some/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I also think that if you want to put a price on carbon, why not just do it with a simple tax? Why not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-also-think-that-if-you-want-to-put-a-price-on-carbon-why-not-just/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [The smart way to improve broadband is not to junk the existing network but to make the most of it. It’s to let a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/the-smart-way-to-improve-broadband-is-not-to-junk-the-existing/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [It is fit that justice should be administered with great caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/it-is-fit-that-justice-should-be-administered-with-great-caution/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [This is a government which is proposing to put at risk our manufacturing industry, to penalise struggling families, to make a tough situation worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/this-is-a-government-which-is-proposing-to-put-at-risk-our/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I don't bring religion into the square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-don-t-bring-religion-into-the-square/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [What will most certainly happen is that there will be very clear and full communication between the government and independents and minor parties. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/what-will-most-certainly-happen-is-that-there-will-be-very-clear-and/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [All of the people who are using their BlackBerries or their iPhones, Facebook, all of the people who are sitting in cafes and hotels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/all-of-the-people-who-are-using-their-blackberries-or-their-iphones/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I think there is no doubt that the advent of 24/7 news channels, which are voracious in their demand for constant new content, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-think-there-is-no-doubt-that-the-advent-of-24-7-news-channels-which/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [The only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/the-only-thing-i-wouldn-t-do-is-sell-my-arse/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Once people come to Australia, they join the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/once-people-come-to-australia-they-join-the-team/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I don't think that my particular religious convictions should be held against me in this campaign any more than the Prime Minister's lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-don-t-think-that-my-particular-religious-convictions-should-be-held/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) [Explore all 196 Tony Abbott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) ## More Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When politicians complain about the media, it strikes me as resembling footballers complaining about the umpire.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Abbott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/when-politicians-complain-about-the-media-it-strikes-me-as-resembling/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complaining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/when-politicians-complain-about-the-media-it-strikes-me-as-resembling/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/tony-abbott-1939_complaining_when-politicians-complain-about-the-medi_1705936.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/tony-abbott-1939_complaining_when-politicians-complain-about-the-medi_1705936.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/tony-abbott-1939_complaining_when-politicians-complain-about-the-medi_1705936.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When politicians complain about the media, it strikes me as resembling footballers complaining about the…” — Tony Abbott", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tony Abbott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When politicians complain about the media,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/when-politicians-complain-about-the-media-it-strikes-me-as-resembling/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/when-politicians-complain-about-the-media-it-strikes-me-as-resembling/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```