Bush Using Straw - Man Arguments in Speeches

[BurtWorm]

This is news?

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bushs-Straw-Men.html?_r=1&oref=slogin


Bush Using Straw - Man Arguments in Speeches

March 18, 2006
Bush Using Straw - Man Arguments in Speeches
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 12:53 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- ''Some look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude that the war is lost and not worth another dime or another day,'' President Bush said recently.

Another time he said, ''Some say that if you're Muslim you can't be free.''

''There are some really decent people,'' the president said earlier this year, ''who believe that the federal government ought to be the decider of health care ... for all people.''

Of course, hardly anyone in mainstream political debate has made such assertions.

When the president starts a sentence with ''some say'' or offers up what ''some in Washington'' believe, as he is doing more often these days, a rhetorical retort almost assuredly follows.

The device usually is code for Democrats or other White House opponents. In describing what they advocate, Bush often omits an important nuance or substitutes an extreme stance that bears little resemblance to their actual position.

He typically then says he ''strongly disagrees'' -- conveniently knocking down a straw man of his own making.

[kentuck]

1. He does that a lot...

and needs to be called more on it. In fact, he does it almost everytime he opens his mouth.

[tabasco]

2. Straight from Rove. They know how gullible "R" voters are.

It takes just a minuscule bit of critical thinking to see through their lies and illogic. But sadly, millions of Americans lack this important skill (or will to do so). Maybe when gas is $4/gal and we have 10,000 KIA in Iraq, some of the people will try a little harder to see through the fog of propaganda.

[Rose Siding]

3. It's news when the AP runs it as analysis

Yikes :wow:

[misternormal]

4. Some people say...

You know those people... those people over there... those some people...

What a wad... He is such a wad.

[Kansas Wyatt]

6. "Some say" means the majority of Americans say

But the Glorious Leader thinks he is wiser, and wants to reduce the majority down to "some."

Bush's Logic:
See, more people are with me, because only "some say," and that gives me capital to do things my way. Just like when the carefully counted election results showed I solidly won the popular vote in 2004, with more people supporting me, so I got a mandate to do things my way. Convincing Mainstream America that they are only in the minority, is good politics, good for me and my Haves & Have Mores, and a good national policy.

[misternormal]

8. MSM uses "some people say"...

... as a way to "prove" that "some people" are actually using their talking points.

[Marr]

5. Some say that we should all poke our eyes out with twigs. But I say no!

Who's with me?!

[Avalux]

7. Not news to us, but nice to see media pointing it out.

Finally. :eyes: