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**A Post by Shifra**

When is the MSM finally going to call Obama out for clinging to a juvenile rhetorical device that is unbecoming to the Office of the Presidency? No, I am not talking about his teleprompter. I am referring to his use of the “Straw Man Fallacy.”

Here’s the recipe:

1) Start with a vague “There are those who say…” Or, “Some say…”
2) Take your opponent’s position to an absurd, ridiculous extreme.
3) Attack your opponent’s exaggerated position.
4) Ridicule your opponent
5) Impress everyone with the brilliance of *your* position.

Although conservative bloggers have been acutely aware of this phenomenon, our Straw Man-in-Chief needs to be called out by the MSM for the manipulative liar that he is.

Why am I focusing on this cheap debating trick that is worthy of a clever high-school debating-club senior? After all, there are *so* many things about POTUS that I cannot stand (With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “How does POTUS drive me crazy? Let me count the ways.”)

Because, about three years ago, I heard an audio clip of Obama pulling this schtick on his audience. And I fell for it.

OK, I recovered in thirty seconds. But it was very powerful, very compelling.

Here’s what I heard:

“At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science. That support for research is somehow a luxury at a moment defined by necessities. I fundamentally disagree. Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been.”
President’s remarks at the National Academy of Science 4/27/09

I was shocked. Who are these horrible people who are so anti-science? OMG! Do away with research? Outrageous! They must be stopped.

But then I thought: Who, indeed? Has anyone ever suggested that we no longer invest in science?

I was able to “pull away from the dark side,” so to speak, because I was suspicious that *anything* from POTUS actually sounded plausible. But O’s almost constant use of this device may resonate deeply with those who are not so politically aware.

Here are some more, courtesy of Karl Rove, who has compiled a list of 94 of Obama’s “gems.”

“There are those out there who want us to go down the same old path — the path where we just throw up our hands and say, “We can’t do anything about education. It’s too hard. We can’t do anything about health care — it’s too tough.”
Tysons Corner, VA, August 6, 2009

(This one made me want to throw up.)

“There are some who see this pain and suggest that somehow it’s inevitable — that the only way for America to get ahead is for communities like yours to be left behind.”
General Motors Lordstown Assembly Plant, Warren, OH September 15, 2009

And finally, one from me:

There are those who say that Obama is the worst president ever, and that in approximately one hundred days, he will be kicked out of the WH by a citizenry fed up with lies, manipulation, and smoke and mirrors.

This one is not a “straw man” argument.