Fig.: to appear to support two opposite sides at the same time

In his most recent political speeches the candidate was accused of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds when he appeared to be supporting both "pro-choice" and the anti-abortionists

Il candidato alle elezioni è stato accusato di accendere una candela ai Santi e una al diavolo perché nei suoi discorsi più recenti sembra sposare di volta in volta la tesi aborzionista e la tesi antiaborzionista

Regarding the issue of tax evasion in Italy, many have criticized the government of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. You cannot claim that paying taxes it’s everybody’s duty and at the same time pardon big tax evaders

A proposito del problema italiano dell'evasione fiscale, molti hanno accusato il governo di accendere una candela ai Santi e una al diavolo, perché non si può affermare che pagare le tasse è il dovere di ogni cittadino e poi perdonare e condonare l'evasione ai grandi evasori fiscali

Poor Joe is in a real mess. His mother and his wife can't stand each other, and when they all get together, he's forced to play both sides by agreeing with one and then the other in order to keep the peace. It's like the saying goes: run with the hare and hunt with the hounds 

Il povero Giovanni è in un inghippo non da poco. Sua madre e sua moglie non si possono vedere e quando si ritrovano tutti assieme, lui è costretto a barcamenarsi dando ragione prima all'una e poi all'altra per cercare di mantenere la situazione sotto controllo. Come si dice: dà un colpo al cerchio e uno alla botte

Rabbit hunting is the source of HARE AND HOUNDS, an outdoor game so called since the mid-19th century, but probably much older. In it one team, given a few minutes head start, scatter scraps of paper or other objects, which represent a trail "scent", and run as far away as they can from the other team, the hounds, who try to catch the hares before they reach a destined place. Since the mid-15th century people who try to take both sides in a conflict have been accused of RUNNING WITH BOTH HOUNDS AND HARES - that is, siding with both hunter and hunted (Ammer, 139-140)