This will be brief.I have been listening, for years now, with wonder and irritation to folks who use a particular phrase to set off feelings or opinions they hold about an individual or an issue. It comes up a lot these days because the media pundits have a lot of time of their hands trying to explain their current evaluations of the candidates both here and gone.
But it is not limited in is use. It is everywhere. Today alone I heard it six times. Two in a store while a customer (not me) was debating whether she should get a refund on an item, once in an email I received about a movie director, and three times during a TV panel discussion regarding John McCain's Conservative credentials.
And I tell you, the next time someone says it to you--- especially if it is going to be about you ---- either run away or get ready to be offended, because what is coming next is not going to be good.
No one who says, "With All due respect," is going to follow that with anything giving the subject or object its "due," and most especially none of it will even remotely be related to "respect."
Google will confirm that more than 12-million times if you check it out.
The only expression that is worse is when someone says, "Hey, nothing personal," right after telling you, "With all due respect, I have to say you are a complete a-hole."
