As good as gold

[bouche]

I know nothing about what the media keeps calling the "soft wood lumber issue/dispute". However, I found this quote by Rice (#1 Renegade QB) pretty funny since Ollie and I were briefly discussing the point that the US doesn't have the gold to back it's debts or it's worth. I feel like she handed this one to Rick Mercer on a silver platter.

" U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice downplayed the softwood lumber dispute yesterday, urging the federal government to avoid "apocalyptic" language about the hot-button issue.

She was swift to say America's word is as "good as gold" on trade issues, and the softwood dispute does nothing to call that into question. "

full story

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I had trouble getting past the word "apocalyptic". I once had a job flagging religious language in news radio, and this one always came predictably loaded.

Although, I guess, you might take the word from its roots to mean "unveiling", which you could take to mean something like "taking the mickey out of".