The rhetorical strategy is known as “whataboutism.” The Merriam-Webster definition is as good as any: “It is not merely the changing of a subject … to deflect away from an earlier subject as a political strategy; it’s essentially a reversal of accusation, arguing that an opponent is guilty of an offense just as egregious or worse than what the original party was accused of doing, however unconnected the offenses may be.”
In a New York Times piece a couple of years ago, Masha Gessen described it as an “old Soviet propaganda tool.”
It’s also one of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s go-to tactics.
Asked about Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s radicalism, McCarthy responded by asking about others he perceives as extremists. Asked about Rep. George Santos’ lies, McCarthy responded by asking about others he perceives as dishonest. Asked about Tucker Carlson’s deceptive coverage of Jan. 6, McCarthy responded by accusing CNN of airing sensitive details about the attack on the Capitol.
Yesterday morning on Fox News, the House speaker did it again. The Washington Post reported:
McCarthy said Sunday that he had released the footage to Carlson in the name of transparency and accountability. He then equated the attack on the Capitol to the protests after the murder of George Floyd in police custody. McCarthy said he had watched federal courts and cities burn, and there was “nobody arrested there.”
“My goal here is transparency, and we will slowly roll out to every individual news agency,” the California Republican told Maria Bartiromo. This continues to be foolish: Giving a controversial television personality exclusive access to sensitive footage, allowing him to create a twisted counter-narrative for far-right conspiracy theorists — while promising to “slowly” share information with independent news organizations — isn’t what “transparency” means.
But this was the quote that stood out for me: “One thing I understand in America…
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