BY the scratchy standards of American politics, Democrats and Republicans left their differences at the water's edge as Barack Obama picked his careful way through his Egypt conundrum this week.

美国政界的标准可谓内外有别，参差不齐。就在本周，奥巴马应付埃及危局的谨慎做法赢得民共两党一致认同。

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"We've had enough of the politics of personal destruction, but we'll never get enough the politics of honest debate over differences, " he said.

CNN: Clinton plugs Gore-Lieberman in convention preview

You could say that they both have a vested interest in dressing up the musty policy differences that have been at the heart of politics for 100 years, to make them appear more heroic.

BBC: A battle for America's soul

Perhaps he is playing up his differences with Germany for the sake of domestic politics, as he seeks to secure a clear majority for his Socialist Party in elections to the National Assembly next month.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne