false claim - a statement that is directly contradicted by fact and can be easily proven untrue. (13 uses)

misleading claim - a statement with a few elements or kernel of truth, which can easily be proven deceptive or fundamentally untrue. (12 uses)

exaggeration - stretching the truth to make something seem more powerful or meaningful than it actually is. (8 uses)

post hoc - proclaiming that because something occurred after X, it was caused by X, when no causal relationship at all may exist. (6 uses)

cherry picking - presenting only evidence that confirms your position, while ignoring or withholding an often more significant portion that contradicts it. (4 uses)

slogan - a brief, striking phrase that people will remember, which typically acts on emotional appeals. (4 uses)

half truth - a statement that is essentially true, but lacking critical information and presented as the whole truth. (3 uses)

baseless claim - a bold statement that is presented as accepted or established fact, with no discernable evidence to support the claim. (3 uses)

common folk - establishing a connection with an audience based on being just like one of them and being able to empathize with their concerns. (2 uses)

guilt by association - using an opponent's links to another to assign the other's beliefs, misdeeds, or other unattractive qualities to the opponent. (2 uses)

virtue words - using words that are attractive to the value system of the target audience. (2 uses)

non-sequitur - response that doesn't follow logically from or isn't related to anything previously asked or said. (1 use)

innuendo - implying something without actually saying it, which can't be refuted because it wasn't actually said. (1 use)

dysphemism - replacing neutral language with more derogatory or unpleasant terms, to instill a negative association. (1 use)

fault as virtue - technique where a weakness is presented as a strength, by focusing on any positive aspect of it. (1 use)

straw man - misrepresenting an opponent's position or argument to make it easier to attack, usually by exaggerating, distorting, or just completely fabricating it. (1 use)

fake polls - reacting to any undesirable polling data simply by characterizing it as inaccurate or biased. (1 use)

passing the buck - shifting blame onto someone else for self-exoneration or to direct attention away from those really at fault. (1 use)

appeal to anonymous authority - insisting something is true because an unnamed expert, study, or generalized group (like 'scientists') say it's true. (1 use)

adding qualifiers - adding an extra word or phrase to a response, which makes it ultimately meaningless, but still leaves the desired impression. (1 use)

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. (1 use)

whataboutism - discrediting a criticism by accusing hypocrisy, in order to shift the focus away from oneself and onto others. (1 use)

the American people - promoting a position as having the overwhelming support of all Americans, while providing no evidence that it does. (1 use)

red herring - throwing an irrelevant fact into an argument to divert attention from the real issue at hand. (1 use)