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Full coverage of the 2021 Terry McAuliffe vs. Glenn Youngkin Virginia Gubernatorial debate.

By Angela Fraioli and Michael Gordon
01/05/2022 • 09:45 AM EST

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: Click or tap on any techniquesee definition - the definition will be displayed here.
 that appears in bold to show its definition.
: whataboutismsee definition - discrediting a criticism by accusing hypocrisy to shift the focus away from oneself and onto others.
: Youngkin sidesteps the accusation that he's anti-vax by implying McAuliffe is anti-vax, by virtue of him appointing a donor who's anti-vax—diverting attention from his own stance. more...
: whataboutismsee definition - discrediting a criticism by accusing hypocrisy to shift the focus away from oneself and onto others.
: Youngkin shifts the focus from his involvement with the Carlyle Group by pointing to McAuliffe's ties to the same firm—making the issue seem mutual. more...
: post hocsee definition - proclaiming that because something occurred after X, it was caused by X, when no causal relationship may exist.
: Taking credit for dropping unemployment while McAuliffe was in office, even though it was declining at about the same rate in other states during that time. more...
: muddying the waterssee definition - introducing irrelevant information or overly complex reasoning to confuse or complicate an issue that is otherwise straightforward and easy to understand.
: Youngkin introduces unrelated comparisons, like the Texas abortion law and its flaws, which adds unnecessary complexity and ambiguity to his position on the abortion bill in question. more...
: labelingsee definition - reducing a target to a rigid, stereotypical identity through repeatedly assigning them to a one-dimensional category or type.
: Youngkin reduces McAuliffe to "the abortion governor," assigning him a narrow ideological identity tied to a single, polarizing issue. more...
: straw mansee definition - misrepresenting an opponent's position or argument to make it easier to attack, usually by exaggerating, distorting, or just completely fabricating it.
: While McAuliffe did say he wants to "make life difficult," his statement was NOT directed at all Virginians, but those Virginians those who refuse to get a COVID vaccine. more...
: cherry pickingsee definition - presenting only evidence that supports a conclusion while ignoring or withholding a broader portion that contradicts it.
: Youngkin highlights only the murder rate, while not mentioning that Virginia had one of the lowest overall crime rates in the country when McAuliffe was in office. more...
: adding qualifierssee definition - inserting carefully chosen words or phrases into a statement that preemptively narrows or nullifies its meaning while preserving its surface impression.
: McAuliffe touting Virginia as having the lowest crime rate of any "major" state when he was governor doesn't necessarily mean Virginia had the lowest crime rate of any state—just those states he considers "major." more...
: exaggerationsee definition - stretching the truth to make something seem more powerful or meaningful than it actually is.
: While Virginia did have a low crime rate, it was never the lowest in the nation. more...
: appeal to authoritysee definition - asserting a claim is true because it is supported by an authority whose expertise, independence, or identity is unreliable or unverifiable.
: While Youngkin cites a study critical of McAuliffe's economic plan, the author of the report was simultaneously employed by the political opposition. more...
: straw mansee definition - misrepresenting an opponent's position or argument to make it easier to attack, usually by exaggerating, distorting, or just completely fabricating it.
: While Youngkin did express gratitude for Trump’s endorsement, he did NOT say he was running “because of Trump,” but that Trump represented “so much of why” he was running. more...
: hyperbolesee definition - an extravagant statement or figure of speech used for effect, not intended to be taken literally.
: Characterizing Youngkin's lack of support for mandating Covid-19 vaccinations as his plan to "unleash Covid" on Virginians.
: quote miningsee definition - extracting a passage or quote from its surrounding context in a way that distorts its intended meaning.
: Youngkin saying "How did you do it?" was actually him asking McAuliffe to explain how he recruits foreign businesses to Virginia during a panel discussion where Youngkin was the moderator. more...
: cherry pickingsee definition - presenting only evidence that supports a conclusion while ignoring or withholding a broader portion that contradicts it.
: Youngkin lists a presentation at a 2015 conference and a recommended book on the BOE website, while not presenting any evidence that CRT is actually being taught in any of the state's 1,825 public schools. more...
: dog whistlesee definition - ambiguous messaging designed to stoke fears, anxieties, or prejudices against minorities or other marginalized groups, or to covertly signal allegiance to specific subgroups.
: The phrase "Critical Race Theory" can be redefined to portray any institutional recognition of long-standing racial inequity as divisive or un-American. Opposing it can signal support for perpetuating systemic racism to certain audiences while appearing as just a defense of racial equality to the broader audience. more...

Number of techniques detected in the 56:28 video runtime:

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

12 OCCURRENCES

adding qualifiers:  
appeal to authority:  
cherry picking:    
dog whistle:  
labeling:  
muddying the waters:  
quote mining:  
straw man:    
whataboutism:    

DISINFORMATION TACTICS

2 OCCURRENCES

exaggeration:  
post hoc:  

SUMMARY

14 OCCURRENCES

Youngkin64%
McAuliffe36%

References