We have come to expect that politicians will attack each other with whatever facts, alternative facts or perceptions that fall conveniently to hand. Hypocrisy is inevitable. It's a game of "gotcha!". The media are very much part of this game. Real politics -- the ongoing discussion of the way forward for our society -- occurs behind the scenes while the public remains disengaged. 

There are hopeful signs that politics is changing, that people are seeing beyond the mudslinging. In the US, pundits were shocked as the media raised scandal after scandal against Donald Trump only to see him grow stronger. The secret of his success was something they never considered: Trump spoke concretely (although rather simplistically) about long-suppressed issues of public concern: jobs and immigration. 

Enough with scandals and gotcha! People want real politics.