Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Work it

Posted on 3/20/2013 by John Casey

Rogers Ailes, head of Fox News, seems to think that government work makes you lazy (via TPM): “Obama’s the one who never worked a day in his life,” Ailes said in Zev Chafets’ book “Roger Ailes: Off Camera.” “He never … Continue reading →

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How to tell when you’re a complete hack

Posted on 11/27/2012 by John Casey

Here's New York Magazine's Jonathan Chait on conservative cheerleader John Podhoretz: The first few weeks after a losing presidential election are an awkward period for the most devoted ideological polemicist. Months of optimistic spin about your candidate must be cast … Continue reading →

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Antichrist

Posted on 11/12/2012 by John Casey

One would hope in vain that the reelection of Barack Obama would put to rest the foolishness of many of his opponents.  Here is a megachurch pastor from Texas: "I want you to hear me tonight, I am not saying … Continue reading →

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Your analogy is bad and you should feel bad

Posted on 10/3/2012 by John Casey

There is much to distinguish Rush Limbaugh and George Will.  But there is also much they have in common.  They both explain Obama's electoral success by the completely non-racist suggestion that Obama, completely undeserving of the job, has profitted from affirmative action.  … Continue reading →

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Wrenching from context

Posted on 7/26/2012 by John Casey

Last night's Daily Show had a nice discussion of the "you didn't build that line" that Obama didn't utter (i.e., in the way suggested).  For those unfamiliar with this, the President gave a speech, talked about infrastructure (such as roads) … Continue reading →

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Ad rockstarium

Posted on 6/10/2012 by Scott Aikin

I think it's worthwhile to keep track of the ways the sides in a debate try to paint the character of the other.  Sometimes, it is simple observations about what kind of person would hold such and such a view, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ad Hominem, Ad Hominem Abusive, Appeal to the People, Barack Obama | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Today in nutpicking

Posted on 3/25/2012 by John Casey

It is good, every now and then, to take a look at the kind hateful bile that spews forth from internet commenters.  Charles Johnson, former right wing blogger, takes a look at Fox News commenters on Obama and the Trayvon … Continue reading →

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Shooting fish in a barrell

Posted on 2/9/2012 by John Casey

David Frum is the new moderate Republican, but he's still a Republican.  I think he's an inveterate straw manner.  That's annoying.  Here's a recent example: In December, Obama traveled to the Kansas town of Osawatomie to deliver one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Iron man, Straw Man | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Cautionary analogies

Posted on 10/1/2011 by Scott Aikin

Democracies are fragile, and one of the worries about them is that the seeds for their overthrow are sewn and grown inside.  That's a thought as old as Plato (see Republic IX's son of the democratic man, the eventual tyrant), … Continue reading →

Posted in Barack Obama, General discussion, Good Arguments, Weak Analogy | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Unpatriotic

Posted on 8/21/2011 by Scott Aikin

In what's good for the gander news, NRO's Jonah Goldberg thinks that President Obama's rhetoric has turned ugly.  He's using patriotism against Republicans.  According to his new stump speech, if you oppose his agenda, then you don’t care about America … Continue reading →

Posted in Appeal to the People, Jonah Goldberg, Specious allegations of fallacy, Things that are false | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment