AP Analysis: Bush Loves Using "Straw Men" To Knock "Nonexistent" Opponents

The Associated Press on Saturday provided an astute analysis of the way President Bush rhetorically argues.

The AP's conclusion should be no surprise to JABBS readers. Bush creates fictional "straw men" -- creating the impression that a minority or fringe opinion reflects the views of all of his critics -- that can be easily knocked down.

Some examples:

-- "Some look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude that the war is lost and not worth another dime or another day."

-- "Some say that if you're Muslim you can't be free."

-- "There are some really decent people who believe that the federal government ought to be the decider of health care ... for all people."

"The device usually is code for Democrats or other White House opponents," according to the March 18 analysis. "In describing what they advocate, Bush often omits an important nuance or substitutes an extreme stance that bears little resemblance to their actual position. ... Because the 'some' often go unnamed, Bush can argue that his statements are true in an era of blogs and talk radio."

Even so, "'some' suggests a number much larger than is actually out there," Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, told the AP.

A specialist in presidential rhetoric, Wayne Fields of Washington University in St. Louis, views the rhetorical device as "a bizarre kind of double talk" that abuses the rules of legitimate discussion.

"<strong>It's such a phenomenal hole in the national debate that you can have arguments with nonexistent people</strong>," Fields told the AP. "What's striking here is how much this administration rests on a foundation of this kind of stuff."

Straw men have made more frequent appearances in recent months, often on national security — once Bush's strong suit with the public but at the center of some of his difficulties today. Under fire for a domestic eavesdropping program, a ports-management deal and the rising violence in Iraq, Bush now sees his approval ratings hovering around the lowest of his presidency.

Said Jamieson, "You would expect people to do that as they feel more threatened."

***

This item first appeared at JABBS.

This is good stuff. Kick!

who feels he can pick and chose which laws he is going to follow.

SOME feel that the environment, the poor, the middle class, the economy, port security can balanced against the needs of corporations despite the laws that exist to protect these very things.

SOME feel that Christians should support a President who truly does not follow the example of Christ.

SOME support a reckless war of aggression in spite of worldwide apprehension.


AND
SOME think its appropriate to create straw men to distract from one's own political failings.

:evilgrin:

When she asked him why he started the war with Iraq, he went off on a tangent about 'no president "wants" war' and proceeded to create a response that was totally unrelated to her question.