David Cameron today turned the tables on his critics by accusing the Guardian of running a "troika" of columnists who persist in pouring cold water over his political ambitions.
The charge came as the Tory leader pledged to scale back the state through greater "social responsibility" across society.
But why does Mr Cameron care so much if one of only three left-of-centre daily newspapers raises its sceptical eyebrows at his policy thinking, when the rest of the Fleet Street stable is made up of natural allies of the Conservative school of thought?
The named and shamed triumvirate consists of Guardian regulars Jonathan Freedland, Simon Jenkins and Polly Toynbee, who have each questioned - to a greater or lesser degree - Mr Cameron's contention that social responsibility in the personal, family, civic and business realms is the best vehicle for delivering social justice and the greater wellbeing of society.
Yet, far from wanting to snub them, Mr Cameron is keen to engage with the Guardian's doubting Thomases and win them around to his "big idea".
To win approval from a Guardian columnist would, he seems to believe, be proof that he can be all things to all people and bag the next general election.
For traditional Tory voters, he needs to signal that he is continuing with party tradition, which according to Mr Cameron has always cared about society but is equally concerned with a scaled-back state.
For those who have voted Labour at the last two general elections, he is keen to persuade them that rolling back central government control does not mean you give up on society.
All you do is deliver wellbeing differently, which is where his mantra of social responsibility comes in.
Spanning two very different audiences is no mean feat and one that Tony Blair - who sought to win over Daily Mail readers to the New Labour cause - could sympathise with.
Nine years on, a Tory leader is imitating his art by attempting to widen his net of approval to take in centre-left voters.
Plus ca change. It's not that the Guardian is Mr Cameron's only critic. Indeed, the irony is that the Tory paper of choice, the Daily Telegraph, has yet to give Mr Cameron a thumbs up as he refashions the party in a paler shade of blue.
Mr Cameron may have to make up his mind who he wants to impress most.
