Rhetorical outbidding describes an exericise in hyperbole meant to attract attention, one usually employed by the uncreative in an effort to persuade the unintelligent.

ExamplesEdit

• During a December 17, 2009 panel discussion on Fox News, Rick Tyler, identified as a representative of the ironically named Newt Gingrich's Renewing American Leadership, accused Democrats of having "totalitarian impulses." The word "totalitarian" has no precise definition but has been used to describe all versions of Marxist-Leninist communism and a single version of fascism: Nazism. Beyond calling Democrats totalitarians, what else could Mr. Tyler do? Metaphorical references to non-human animals, which is common in wartime propaganda? Perhaps accuse them of being extraterrestrials? How about Tyler, is your next accusation that Pres. Obama is a Reptilian?

LinksEdit

• Political Lexicon