Billary by Association

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Obama spars with Clinton in the 2008 Democratic Primary Debates.

By Katy Glynn
06/10/2015 • 03:48 AM EST

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: minimization

- characterizing something that you don't want to address as trivial or insignificant, in order to shift the focus away from it and onto "more important" things.
: Obama trivializes the scrutiny of his past positions, in light of things he believes viewers are concerned about, like healthcare and college.

: straw man

- misrepresenting an opponent's position or argument to make it easier to attack, usually by exaggerating, distorting, or just completely fabricating it.
: Obama praised Reagan for having ideas, NOT for the ideas themselves.^[1]

: guilt by association

- using an opponent's links to another to assign the other's beliefs, misdeeds, or other unattractive qualities to the opponent.
: Obama uses Clinton's time as a corporate attorney to identify her with corporate interests and not those of everyday people.

: whataboutism

- discrediting a criticism by accusing hypocrisy, in order to shift the focus away from oneself and onto others.
: Obama shifts the focus from his praise of Reagan to Clinton's praise of Reagan.

: guilt by association

- using an opponent's links to another to assign the other's beliefs, misdeeds, or other unattractive qualities to the opponent.
: Clinton uses Obama's work for a law firm that represented Tony Rezko to identify Obama with Rezko.^[2]