I'm a "Consensus Builder"

Buzzwords. Platitudes. Cliches. Maybe that's all I have to use during this campaign. I get really annoyed with all of it, but I have to admit that it's very difficult to describe yourself, your abilities or the issues without using them. "Consensus Builder." That's my favorite expression to loathe. I think anyone that uses that tired old phrase should have to use finger quotes when they say it. Same thing with "people person", "goal oriented" or "synergy". Maybe I'm being too detailed when I discuss issues with voters. Saturday night I was cornered by someone who had immediately informed me that he was supporting one of my opponents. "Go ahead and tell me what you will do if you're elected" he said. I figured I was wasting my time but I wasn't going to be rude and dismiss him because of his professed allegiance to a competitor. I talked about economic development incentives, the budget revenue structure and what I could change and what I couldn't. He quizzed me on transit. Codes enforcement. I detailed the EPA and the Clean Water Act and what our financial options are for funding our billion dollar sewer problem. He quizzed me more on financial issues, my educational background. He quizzed me on a lot of things. His friend whom I had met earlier stood off the side the whole time needling him. "See?" "I told ya!" "I told ya!" he kept prodding. Finally he said with a troubled look on his face, "when I asked your opponent that question, all he/she said was "I'm going to do the right thing."" I worked pretty hard for it but I think I earned his vote. Should I just be paraphrasing titles from Spike Lee movies? Should I just go around telling people "I'll fight for you" or "I'll get things done"? I hope not. I like to think the voters are smarter than that.