First Off Lorrie, They Are Politicians Not Adults

And secondly you have to consider the audience they are playing. The antics of politicians is akin to a Punch & Judy Show.

Oh, for a dose of civility in Parliament
By Lorrie Goldstein

In a Parliament of grown-ups, here's what would have happened over the past few days.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper: "Mr. Speaker, on a point of privilege. With the conclusion of the RCMP investigation into the income trust affair, I apologize for any inference that could be drawn from my own remarks, or those of others in my party, that former finance minister Ralph Goodale was in any way criminally responsible for what transpired. He was not. Sir, I am sorry."

Liberal MP Ralph Goodale: "Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister for his apology and I accept it. But I also accept my responsibility for the incredibly sloppy way I and my office handled the release of the news that we would be not be taxing income trusts just before the last election. Given stock trading patterns just prior to my announcement, there was widespread public suspicion there had been insider trading based on leaks coming from the government. This, in part, precipitated the RCMP investigation. For the incompetent way we handled that announcement, I apologize."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper: "Mr. Speaker, I apologize to the Canadian people for taxing income trusts after promising I wouldn't during the election. And I apologize to Liberal MP Navdeep Bains. In my anger over the Liberal party's decision to change its mind on the continuation of two anti-terror measures they passed while in government, I wrongly implied, or was about to before I was cut off, that this was being done as a favour to the MP because a relative of his might be questioned as a witness in proceedings one of those measures permits. That was a cheap shot. I apologize."

Liberal MP Ralph Goodale: "Mr. Speaker, I suggested last week that story was planted in the Vancouver Sun by the Prime Minister's Office, by leaking confidential information to the paper. Now that the reporter who broke the story has stated no one planted anything with her and she came up with it on her own, I apologize to the prime minister and the reporter."

That's how grown-ups would have behaved.