Believe me, I’m completely aware that I sound like a Scrooge, a buzzkill harping and carping about innocuous movies that are meant to be little more than background noise while people scroll on their phones.

He achieved far more legislatively than many thought possible, given the narrow margins Democrats held in the House and Senate, and presided over an economy that, partisan carping aside, is the envy of the world.

And who knows what Republicans are thinking about Trumpov's inconsistent directives about early voting or constant carping about the elections being rigged?

A cabinet minister says: “It’s just so good to be in government; it’s really, really tough but any tough day is better than 14 years of carping on in opposition.”

Respectfully, the fans carping about coach DeShaun Foster after three games of a predictably difficult season are missing an essential point.