straw man - misrepresenting an opponent's position or argument to make it easier to attack, usually by exaggerating, distorting, or just completely fabricating it. (10 uses)
false claim - a statement that is directly contradicted by fact and can be easily proven untrue. (8 uses)
misleading claim - a statement with a few elements or kernel of truth, which can easily be proven deceptive or fundamentally untrue. (8 uses)
baseless claim - a bold statement that is presented as accepted or established fact, with no discernable evidence to support the claim. (4 uses)
post hoc - proclaiming that because something occurred after X, it was caused by X, when no causal relationship at all may exist. (3 uses)
half truth - a statement that is essentially true, but lacking critical information and presented as the whole truth. (2 uses)
exaggeration - stretching the truth to make something seem more powerful or meaningful than it actually is. (2 uses)
appeal to decency - involves portraying the opponent’s criticism as inappropriate, indecent, or underhanded, rather than engaging with the substance of the criticism. (2 uses)
honor by association - defending or championing cultural sacred cows to transfer the respect, authority, and prestige associated with those symbols onto oneself. (2 uses)
innuendo - implying something negative or controversial without explicitly stating it, leaving the audience to infer the intended meaning. (1 use)
cherry picking - presenting only evidence that confirms your position, while ignoring or withholding an often more significant portion that contradicts it. (1 use)
common folk - connecting with an audience by giving the impression that you understand and share their everyday struggles and concerns. (1 use)
fault as virtue - reframing a weakness or undesirable trait as a strength by highlighting any positive aspect of it. (1 use)
name-calling - using emotionally charged, derogatory terms to brand opponents with lasting negative associations that become synonymous with their identity. (1 use)
virtue words - using emotionally appealing words that align with the target audience's value system to elicit approval or support. (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)
pointed question - a question that is difficult to answer in an ambiguous manner without appearing to be evading or dodging. (1 use)
adding qualifiers - adding an extra word or phrase to a response that makes it ultimately meaningless, but still leaves the desired impression. (1 use)
accuse of lying - reacting to undesirable truths simply with accusations of lies and lying. (1 use)
whataboutism - discrediting a criticism by accusing hypocrisy to shift the focus away from oneself and onto others. (1 use)
now is not the time - discouraging critical evaluation of tragic events that might give rise to political action, by characterizing it as political opportunism. (1 use)
the American people - (a form of bandwagon) promoting a position as having the overwhelming support of all Americans, while providing no evidence that it does. (1 use)
out of context - removing a passage or quote from its surrounding context in such a way as to distort its intended meaning. (1 use)
red herring - throwing irrelevant information into an argument to divert attention from the real issue at hand. (1 use)