I have written about political rhetoric before. In one blog I described the difference between liberal and conservative media this way:
The liberal media use the actual words of conservatives (sometimes out of context, sometimes not) to ridicule their ideas and philosophy. The right-wing media distorts the words (and beliefs) of liberals, and then ridicules them. . . In the language of debate competitions, they “prop up a straw man and knock it down.”
Here is the Romney campaign reaction to President Obama explaining the biggest mistake of his first term:
President Obama believes that millions of Americans have lost their homes, their jobs and their livelihood because he failed to tell a good story.
Cut the Crap
This is a colossal straw man. This is what President Obama actually said:
The mistake of my first term —a couple of years — was thinking that this job was just about getting the policy right. And that’s important, but the nature of this office is also to tell a story to the American people that gives them a sense of unity and purpose and optimism, especially during tough times. It’s funny, when I ran, people said, ‘Well, he can give a great speech, but can he actually manage the job?’ And then in my first two years, I think the notion was, “Well, you know, he’s been juggling and managing a lot of stuff, but where’s the story that tells us where he’s going?’ And I think that was a legitimate criticism.
Romney campaign strategists must think Americans are stupid. This November we will find out if they are right.
I am not defending or promoting either the political right or left. I am angry about insults to my intelligence. How do you feel, when your intelligence is insulted? Send me your examples from both sides. It’s an election year. We are bombarded.
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