Editing Damaging quotation

{{Short description|Short utterance by a public figure; discrediting tactic}}
{{Globalize|article|USA|2name=the United States|date=May 2015}}

A '''damaging quotation''' is a ''short utterance'' by a public figure used by opponents as a [[discrediting tactic]]. These quotations may be inserted or alluded to in [[negative political ad]]s to discredit the character or intellectual ability of the originator. More typically, however, they are used in political [[logical argument|arguments]] by both politicians and political [[Pundit (politics)|pundit]]s often in ways which are [[fallacy|fallacious]]. These quotations are compiled into books or posted on the internet and are repeated in other contexts such as in [[talk radio]] or in the [[United States]] by stand-up comedians in late-night television monologues. The publication of these quotations is justified as a necessary part of maintaining an informed citizenry. In cases where the quotation in question is taken widely out of context it can be difficult for a candidate to find recourse, even though it is very easy to check the accuracy and the context of a quotation by using internet resources (such as [[Web search engine|search engine]]s); in popular jargon, the quotation (especially if humorous) can grow into a [[Internet meme|meme]].

== Categories ==
There are various common categories of quotations: [[malapropism]]s or grammatical errors, exaggerations about past achievements, lack of conviction, consorting with the enemy, [[moral turpitude]], indifference towards victims of crime, racist or discriminatory, etc. 

In the case of [[malapropism]]s, it is a rhetorical fallacy (called [[ad hominem|argument ad hominem]]) to conclude that the entire argument of whoever made the utterance is incorrect. Yet it has become common in partisan [[argument]] in the [[United States]]. For instance: former [[Vice President of the United States|U.S. Vice President]] [[Al Gore]], during an interview with [[Wolf Blitzer]] on CNN (March 9, 1999) stated, "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system." This has frequently been distorted by opponents to say that Gore claimed, "I invented the Internet." Partisans have so often used this distorted quotation to discredit him that Internet pioneer [[Vint Cerf]] (and others who participated in ''actually'' inventing the Internet) have made a point of noting Gore's support and the error of the discreditors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sethf.com/gore/|title = Al Gore "invented the Internet" - resources}}</ref>

With the availability of inexpensive [[computers]] and the widespread use of the [[Internet]], it has become easy for anyone to accumulate and distribute these quotation lists. Like the "[[Yogiisms]]" of baseball great [[Yogi Berra]], or the [[Colemanballs]] collected by ''[[Private Eye (magazine)|Private Eye]]'', a damaging quotation purports to give insight into the thinking of the speaker, frequently a politician or of the politicians or political groups that used it as means of attack. As such they belong to the colorful history of political [[satire]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* ''The Bush Dyslexicon'' by [[Mark Crispin Miller]] (combining ''dyslexic'' and ''lexicon'') 
* ''Prince Albert: The Life and Lies of Al Gore'' by David N. Bossie
* ''George W. Bushisms: The Slate Book of The Accidental Wit and Wisdom of our 43rd President''
* "Contextomy:  The Art of Quoting Out of Context" by Matthew S. McGlone, ''Media, Culture & Society'', Vol. 27, No. 4, 511-522 (2005) {{doi|10.1177/0163443705053974}}

==External links==
* [http://www.gargaro.com/algore.html A partisan list of "stupid quote and lies" by Al Gore]
* [http://slate.com/id/76886/ "The Complete Bushisms"], updated frequently, by Jacob Weisberg

[[Category:Political terminology]]
[[Category:Quotations]]