As we were discussing rhetorical fallacies in class I couldn't help reflect on politicians and elections. I think many politicians could write a complete book on the subject! This last election had some pretty dirty campaigns. I will mention just one although there are many to pick from. John Swallows who was running for Utah's Attorney General resorted to the tactic of "poisoning the well." Swallows campaign ran adds attacking his opponents character and integrity. In the add he plays a short tape of a statement Sean Reyes made. The statement makes Reyes look bad but what is dirty about the add is that it is only a short piece of what was said was played and if the whole tape was played it would not shed him in a bad light.
For me, when someone is intentionally discrediting another persons character, "Poisoning the Well," I want to look a little closer to see what it is that they are weak in or hiding because if they have good things going for them they could stand on their own and not have to tear the other guy down in effort to look better. I would like to vote for the guy that is telling me about who he or she is rather than someone who spends all their time "Poisoning the Well."
Yeah, that's one thing that politicians are good at, mud slinging their opponents instead of answering the tough questions with their actual solutions. It shows weakness in their own policies, because if they were any good, they would stand taller than their opponent's policies without having to tear the opponent's policies first.
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