No, Both Sides Do Not Do It

Steve M. absolutely nails the Cult Of Both Sides Do It in out "liberal media".

The cult only says that "everyone's at fault" when Republican extremism is at fault. That's because the cult's real problem isn't a lust for centrism -- it's an aversion to acknowledging that Daddy GOP beats us. It's the kind of denial that takes place in households where there's domestic abuse.

The anti-'60s backlash (which has now gone on about four times as long as the period to which it's a reaction), combined with GOP ref-working of the "liberal media," has left us with a political culture that really can't bear the thought that Republicans are consciously acting in ways that are detrimental to the country. If this culture isn't "wired for the GOP" (as Josh Marshall says), it's certainly wired to be in denial of what's wrong with the GOP.

At all times, the system accepts the notion that Republicans are good and decent and well-meaning, even in failure (see, e.g., George W. Bush). At all times, it accepts the notion that what Republicans are advocating is within the pale. If Republican extremism becomes so blatantly obvious that it must be acknowledged, extremism on the other side must be found (or invented, or blown up out of proportion), so Daddy GOP won't be charged with abuse -- the story we agree on is that "everyone" was fighting. And we just go on living that way.

Those two bolded points are vitally important. For the last two decades, the GOP has never, ever been too extreme, while the mere existence of liberalism is an intolerable affront to America.   The Village will never admit that the GOP is going to break the country. The backlash against the media from the right for telling the truth about Newt Gingrich's government shutdown fight resulted in the impeachment of Clinton, the lection and re-election of Bush 43 and his little wars, the Bush Tax Cuts running up trillions in debt, the rise of the Tea Party and now today it's gotten to the point where they are aiding and abetting the GOP's economic terrorism.

When the Villagers say "President Obama is the only adult in the room" it means he is supposed to capitulate 100% to the GOP in order to calm them down, much like you would give into a child's tantrum at the store just to save yourself the embarrassment.  In 2010 the Tea Party was the greatest political movement of all time.  Now it's a bunch of unruly idiots, but it has to be "Washington's fault" and "Democrats must share the blame" for getting us into this mess because to admit otherwise would mean the Republicans wouldn't let the Villagers play on John McCain's tire swing anymore.

So yes, it's a situation where the Village is more afraid of losing access to the GOP in a Presidential election contest then they are the state of the country.  And for this, we all lose.