vandalism at reflecting pool
Definition
A political, often unsubstantiated, allegation that intentional damage or sabotage has been inflicted upon the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
A flashpoint term used to characterize the degradation of the pool (such as algae growth or peeling paint) as a malicious act by political opponents rather than as a maintenance or environmental issue.
Examples
He blamed local vandals for the peeling paint at the reflecting pool, completely ignoring the fact that the surface was only recently painted during his own administration's $14 million touch-up.
If the water turns green with algae, one could simply suggest it is an act of chemical warfare by ghosts of the opposition, rather than acknowledging that the reflecting pool might just need a basic filter change.
The theory of vandalism at the reflecting pool serves as a creative alternative to the mundane reality of aging infrastructure and subpar facility management.