blame the messenger
shoot the messenger

But the recent attacks may be more than simply blaming the messenger for bad news.

The queen did have a tendency to blame the messenger.

We've heard that absurd attempt to blame the messenger before.

And always the answer seems to be, "Don't blame the messenger."

"I only hope they are not in the habit of blaming the messenger for the news he brings."

"If you blame the messenger for the message, strike now," he said.

Don't blame the messenger for the message, that's what I always say.

They want it to end, and they kind of blame the messenger a little bit.

But the bankers do not seem to be blaming the messenger for their troubles.

It wasn't his fault, but everyone always blamed the messenger.

Don't blame the messengers, or even put them down; they're only doing their job.

"One hesitates to blame the messenger, but the messages just have not been there."

She knew she was blaming the messenger to some degree.

Another, blaming the messenger, invoked "God's power on the media."

The captain had insisted on the assignment, as if blaming the messenger for bad news.

And when she got the proof, she blamed the messenger.

Doesn't it occur to you that they may blame the messenger for the message?

Not anymore, so stop blaming the messenger because you don't like hearing what you're being told.

In a matter of speaking, Britannica officials blame the messengers.

To blame the messenger for a bad war misreads the lessons of Vietnam.

How typical to blame the messenger, the First Admiral thought.

But they really shouldn't blame the messenger for the bad news," Angela said.

Leak investigations are often designed to distract the public from the real issues by blaming the messenger.

Viewers and readers are tempted to recoil, to blame the messenger.

Blaming the messenger is hardly new, and this lesson has not been lost on libel plaintiffs.

So is it simply a case of shooting the messenger?

Sir George said it was high time they shot the messenger.

It seems to me that we are shooting the messenger rather than getting to the heart of the problem.

But that is, in a sense, to shoot the messenger.

Having lost control of the message, Israel is now trying to shoot the messenger.

And if someone warns of problems, they shoot the messenger.

Only an idiot would think there was any sense in shooting the messenger.

Simon wanted to kill him, but knew he'd just be shooting the messenger.

There is a desire to shoot the messenger for bringing bad news.

"So we tell people how deep the problems are and they want to shoot the messenger.

"People really have their guns drawn, and they shoot the messenger with them."

Shooting the messengers, though, may not be the most effective solution.

I learned at an early age that it may sometimes be necessary to kill the message without shooting the messenger.

"To me, it's now a classic case of shooting the messenger."

"To shoot the messenger doesn't make a lot of sense."

"Some people are saying internally that this is simply shooting the messenger," one official said.

"I should know better than to shoot the messenger."

Its response would have been to shoot the messenger.

I was shocked that in essence they shot the messenger."

Liz rails me about this kind of thing all the time, but she's just shooting the messenger.

Use our information or not, but is it sensible to shoot the messenger?"

Whether the aggrieved is the government or private industry, shooting the messenger has become a blood sport.

Shooting the messenger is never a sign of strength.

Arguing against the principle by shooting the messenger is not a good or telling argument.

Best face up to the stark reality, I tell myself, and don't shoot the messenger.