Replies

“[T]he folks who are most bothered by the infidelity of others are those who are stuck in miserable marriages and who feel self righteously that everyone should stick it out in a miserable marriage as well.”

Are you saying Rick Santorum is NOT one of “these folks”? Even if you’re not making this connection, “the folks who” is sufficient for proving both cases of ad hominem.

“The connection between the abusive and the circumstantial varieties of argumentum ad hominem is not difficult to see. The circumstatial variety may even be regarded as a special case of the abusive. The first use of the circumstantial charges people who dispute your conclusion with inconsistency, either among their beliefs or between their preaching and their practice, which may be regarded as a kind of reproach or abuse. The second use of the circumstantial charges one’s adversaries with being so prejudiced that their alleged reasons are mere rationalizations of conclusions dictated by self-interest. And that is certainly to abuse them . . . sometimes called “poisoning the well.”

Irving M. Copi, Introduction to Logic, 1986.

I find it stunning that someone who has made a significant part of their living writing in general and consulting for campaigns could continue to do such damage to the one they are supposed to be helping. I am beginning to think that you are a plant from Romney's people to damage both the campaign's of Gingrich and Romney; a Romney agent provocateur if you will.

You have virtually nothing to say in support of Gingrich. By the measure 2% or 3% of your posts even say anything independently supporting Gingrich. Instead you entertain yourself by antagonistically tweaking and attacking Santorum just so that you can exchange barbs with his supporters.

You hardly even go out of your way to defend Gingrich much less promote him.

As someone who has been around politics for so long you are very aware of segmenting and analyzing the various receivers of messages. You are very aware that your posts and antagonisms are actually entrenching Santorum supporters while driving them to make attacks on the candidate that you represent yourself as supporting.

The end result of your efforts are, as you well know, an entrenchment of the enmities between the two camps who should be focusing on supporting their candidate.

I think that superPac needs to check you out a little more carefully before doling any ofthat fresh $10 million in your direction. You are not hurting Santorum with all your efforts except in equal proportion to the damage that you are doing to Gingrich. You are helping Romney very capably against both of them.

Congratulations.