I know I read an article somewhat recently about how people in tight situations (read: politicians) use phrases like “mistakes were made” and “the results were unacceptable” as a way to acknowledge fault but avoid taking personal responsibility for things that got screwed up. I could have sworn I read it on Slate, but I couldn’t find the article there. Anyone know where it is? It was a fascinating read.
I cannot find the article you refer to, but if you google for “passive voice” politicians you can find a lot of references to this - it’s hardly an original observation.