Rhetorical Argumentation
@cwtindale.bsky.social
Argumentation theorist; rhetorician, student of Greek Philosophy
AofW
John Rapley, Globe
Mr. Trump appears to have fallen into the same trap that tanked Joe Biden’s presidency – responding to bad pocketbook news with aggregate figures, like the growth of GDP...or the revenue from tariffs. None of these measures resonate with the vast majority of people.
John Rapley, Globe
Mr. Trump appears to have fallen into the same trap that tanked Joe Biden’s presidency – responding to bad pocketbook news with aggregate figures, like the growth of GDP...or the revenue from tariffs. None of these measures resonate with the vast majority of people.
December 28, 2025 at 1:29 PM
AofW
John Rapley, Globe
Mr. Trump appears to have fallen into the same trap that tanked Joe Biden’s presidency – responding to bad pocketbook news with aggregate figures, like the growth of GDP...or the revenue from tariffs. None of these measures resonate with the vast majority of people.
John Rapley, Globe
Mr. Trump appears to have fallen into the same trap that tanked Joe Biden’s presidency – responding to bad pocketbook news with aggregate figures, like the growth of GDP...or the revenue from tariffs. None of these measures resonate with the vast majority of people.
Argument of Week:
Nancy Pelosi (NYT):
“Hillary Clinton was the best qualified person to be president at that time …[but] nobody wants to know what you have done. Nobody gets elected because they deserve it. They get elected for what they’re going to do.”
Nancy Pelosi (NYT):
“Hillary Clinton was the best qualified person to be president at that time …[but] nobody wants to know what you have done. Nobody gets elected because they deserve it. They get elected for what they’re going to do.”
December 21, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Argument of Week:
Nancy Pelosi (NYT):
“Hillary Clinton was the best qualified person to be president at that time …[but] nobody wants to know what you have done. Nobody gets elected because they deserve it. They get elected for what they’re going to do.”
Nancy Pelosi (NYT):
“Hillary Clinton was the best qualified person to be president at that time …[but] nobody wants to know what you have done. Nobody gets elected because they deserve it. They get elected for what they’re going to do.”
AofW:
E. J. Dionne Jr.
NYT
in 2025, Trumpian flimflam hit its limits — a majority of Republicans in in the Indiana State Senate defied the president’s demand for a midterm congressional redistricting. His power to intimidate is ebbing. A reasonable majority exists. It’s searching for alternatives.
E. J. Dionne Jr.
NYT
in 2025, Trumpian flimflam hit its limits — a majority of Republicans in in the Indiana State Senate defied the president’s demand for a midterm congressional redistricting. His power to intimidate is ebbing. A reasonable majority exists. It’s searching for alternatives.
December 14, 2025 at 3:03 PM
AofW:
E. J. Dionne Jr.
NYT
in 2025, Trumpian flimflam hit its limits — a majority of Republicans in in the Indiana State Senate defied the president’s demand for a midterm congressional redistricting. His power to intimidate is ebbing. A reasonable majority exists. It’s searching for alternatives.
E. J. Dionne Jr.
NYT
in 2025, Trumpian flimflam hit its limits — a majority of Republicans in in the Indiana State Senate defied the president’s demand for a midterm congressional redistricting. His power to intimidate is ebbing. A reasonable majority exists. It’s searching for alternatives.
AofW:
Douglas Sanderson
GLOBE
Indigeneity, like Orientalism, was never a thing. Indigeneity is a projection of meaning, but our cultural embrace of capital-I “Indigenous” has created...[a] false identity and fake symbolism [W]e must render “Indigenous” as ineffectual as “Oriental.”
Douglas Sanderson
GLOBE
Indigeneity, like Orientalism, was never a thing. Indigeneity is a projection of meaning, but our cultural embrace of capital-I “Indigenous” has created...[a] false identity and fake symbolism [W]e must render “Indigenous” as ineffectual as “Oriental.”
December 7, 2025 at 3:17 PM
AofW:
Douglas Sanderson
GLOBE
Indigeneity, like Orientalism, was never a thing. Indigeneity is a projection of meaning, but our cultural embrace of capital-I “Indigenous” has created...[a] false identity and fake symbolism [W]e must render “Indigenous” as ineffectual as “Oriental.”
Douglas Sanderson
GLOBE
Indigeneity, like Orientalism, was never a thing. Indigeneity is a projection of meaning, but our cultural embrace of capital-I “Indigenous” has created...[a] false identity and fake symbolism [W]e must render “Indigenous” as ineffectual as “Oriental.”
ArgofWeek:
Pope Leo XIV decree:
“Only monogamy guarantees that sexuality develops within a framework of recognizing the other as a subject with whom one shares one’s life entirely, a subject who is an end in himself and never a means to one’s own needs.”
Pope Leo XIV decree:
“Only monogamy guarantees that sexuality develops within a framework of recognizing the other as a subject with whom one shares one’s life entirely, a subject who is an end in himself and never a means to one’s own needs.”
November 30, 2025 at 3:12 PM
ArgofWeek:
Pope Leo XIV decree:
“Only monogamy guarantees that sexuality develops within a framework of recognizing the other as a subject with whom one shares one’s life entirely, a subject who is an end in himself and never a means to one’s own needs.”
Pope Leo XIV decree:
“Only monogamy guarantees that sexuality develops within a framework of recognizing the other as a subject with whom one shares one’s life entirely, a subject who is an end in himself and never a means to one’s own needs.”
AofW:
Michael Ignatieff:
In Canada, it never pays to assume that when counterrevolution begins to the south of us, it won’t migrate north...It’s important, whatever our political disagreements on other issues, that the coalitions that brought victories for us all don’t break apart.
Michael Ignatieff:
In Canada, it never pays to assume that when counterrevolution begins to the south of us, it won’t migrate north...It’s important, whatever our political disagreements on other issues, that the coalitions that brought victories for us all don’t break apart.
November 23, 2025 at 3:11 PM
AofW:
Michael Ignatieff:
In Canada, it never pays to assume that when counterrevolution begins to the south of us, it won’t migrate north...It’s important, whatever our political disagreements on other issues, that the coalitions that brought victories for us all don’t break apart.
Michael Ignatieff:
In Canada, it never pays to assume that when counterrevolution begins to the south of us, it won’t migrate north...It’s important, whatever our political disagreements on other issues, that the coalitions that brought victories for us all don’t break apart.
AofW
Globe Ed
a clear message that politicians and the public need to hear: Stop playing games with vaccines. They are the safe and effective foundation on which a disease-free world for children is built. Without the MMR vaccination, millions of children worldwide would die every year from measles.
Globe Ed
a clear message that politicians and the public need to hear: Stop playing games with vaccines. They are the safe and effective foundation on which a disease-free world for children is built. Without the MMR vaccination, millions of children worldwide would die every year from measles.
November 16, 2025 at 3:37 PM
AofW
Globe Ed
a clear message that politicians and the public need to hear: Stop playing games with vaccines. They are the safe and effective foundation on which a disease-free world for children is built. Without the MMR vaccination, millions of children worldwide would die every year from measles.
Globe Ed
a clear message that politicians and the public need to hear: Stop playing games with vaccines. They are the safe and effective foundation on which a disease-free world for children is built. Without the MMR vaccination, millions of children worldwide would die every year from measles.
ArgofWk:
Pope Leo
“a deep reflection” needs to be made “in terms of what’s happening” in the U.S. and Trump’s crack down on immigration. “Jesus says very clearly at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked, you know, how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?
Pope Leo
“a deep reflection” needs to be made “in terms of what’s happening” in the U.S. and Trump’s crack down on immigration. “Jesus says very clearly at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked, you know, how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?
November 9, 2025 at 2:52 PM
ArgofWk:
Pope Leo
“a deep reflection” needs to be made “in terms of what’s happening” in the U.S. and Trump’s crack down on immigration. “Jesus says very clearly at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked, you know, how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?
Pope Leo
“a deep reflection” needs to be made “in terms of what’s happening” in the U.S. and Trump’s crack down on immigration. “Jesus says very clearly at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked, you know, how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?
Argument of the Week:
Alan Dershowitz:
“We have to understand who our enemies are. And our enemy now is Canada [because of its] recognition of a non-existent entity [Palestine] and not doing enough to combat antisemitism.”
Alan Dershowitz:
“We have to understand who our enemies are. And our enemy now is Canada [because of its] recognition of a non-existent entity [Palestine] and not doing enough to combat antisemitism.”
November 2, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Argument of the Week:
Alan Dershowitz:
“We have to understand who our enemies are. And our enemy now is Canada [because of its] recognition of a non-existent entity [Palestine] and not doing enough to combat antisemitism.”
Alan Dershowitz:
“We have to understand who our enemies are. And our enemy now is Canada [because of its] recognition of a non-existent entity [Palestine] and not doing enough to combat antisemitism.”
ArgofWk:
Trump warning Hamas
They got very rambunctious, and they did things that they shouldn't be doing, and if they keep doing it, then we're going to go in and straighten it out, and it'll happen very quickly and pretty violently...They have to be good, and if they're not, they'll be eradicated.
Trump warning Hamas
They got very rambunctious, and they did things that they shouldn't be doing, and if they keep doing it, then we're going to go in and straighten it out, and it'll happen very quickly and pretty violently...They have to be good, and if they're not, they'll be eradicated.
October 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
ArgofWk:
Trump warning Hamas
They got very rambunctious, and they did things that they shouldn't be doing, and if they keep doing it, then we're going to go in and straighten it out, and it'll happen very quickly and pretty violently...They have to be good, and if they're not, they'll be eradicated.
Trump warning Hamas
They got very rambunctious, and they did things that they shouldn't be doing, and if they keep doing it, then we're going to go in and straighten it out, and it'll happen very quickly and pretty violently...They have to be good, and if they're not, they'll be eradicated.
AofW:
Leo Feler chief economist, Numerator:
People are still consuming the basics, but they’re cutting back on all this extra stuff they were able to do coming out of the pandemic. It’s just more precarious because if we’ve already trimmed all the fat, the only thing left to trim are the essentials.
Leo Feler chief economist, Numerator:
People are still consuming the basics, but they’re cutting back on all this extra stuff they were able to do coming out of the pandemic. It’s just more precarious because if we’ve already trimmed all the fat, the only thing left to trim are the essentials.
October 19, 2025 at 1:51 PM
AofW:
Leo Feler chief economist, Numerator:
People are still consuming the basics, but they’re cutting back on all this extra stuff they were able to do coming out of the pandemic. It’s just more precarious because if we’ve already trimmed all the fat, the only thing left to trim are the essentials.
Leo Feler chief economist, Numerator:
People are still consuming the basics, but they’re cutting back on all this extra stuff they were able to do coming out of the pandemic. It’s just more precarious because if we’ve already trimmed all the fat, the only thing left to trim are the essentials.
AofW:
Jason P. Houser, former Chief of staff Immigration and Customs Enforcement:
When law enforcement is forced into partisan roles, it stops serving the public. And when the public loses trust in law enforcement, the whole system begins to fail. The blueprint is: Create chaos. Blame the chaos.
Jason P. Houser, former Chief of staff Immigration and Customs Enforcement:
When law enforcement is forced into partisan roles, it stops serving the public. And when the public loses trust in law enforcement, the whole system begins to fail. The blueprint is: Create chaos. Blame the chaos.
October 12, 2025 at 3:24 PM
AofW:
Jason P. Houser, former Chief of staff Immigration and Customs Enforcement:
When law enforcement is forced into partisan roles, it stops serving the public. And when the public loses trust in law enforcement, the whole system begins to fail. The blueprint is: Create chaos. Blame the chaos.
Jason P. Houser, former Chief of staff Immigration and Customs Enforcement:
When law enforcement is forced into partisan roles, it stops serving the public. And when the public loses trust in law enforcement, the whole system begins to fail. The blueprint is: Create chaos. Blame the chaos.
Arg of Week: Oct 5.
Eline Van der Velden
“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work... Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that shows the power of creativity.”
Eline Van der Velden
“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work... Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that shows the power of creativity.”
October 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Arg of Week: Oct 5.
Eline Van der Velden
“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work... Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that shows the power of creativity.”
Eline Van der Velden
“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work... Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that shows the power of creativity.”
AofW:
Zelensky:
“It’s only a matter of time before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves...
Dear leaders, we are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence"
Zelensky:
“It’s only a matter of time before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves...
Dear leaders, we are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence"
September 28, 2025 at 2:01 PM
AofW:
Zelensky:
“It’s only a matter of time before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves...
Dear leaders, we are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence"
Zelensky:
“It’s only a matter of time before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves...
Dear leaders, we are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence"
Argument of the Week: Sept. 21.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz:
"We shouldn't be threatening government power to force him off air. It might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it."
Republican Senator Ted Cruz:
"We shouldn't be threatening government power to force him off air. It might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it."
September 21, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Argument of the Week: Sept. 21.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz:
"We shouldn't be threatening government power to force him off air. It might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it."
Republican Senator Ted Cruz:
"We shouldn't be threatening government power to force him off air. It might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it."
Argument of the Week
September 14, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Argument of the Week
AofW:
Trump disagrees with Florida ending vaccine mandates:
“Look, you have vaccines that work [polio; COVID]. They just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people,”
Trump disagrees with Florida ending vaccine mandates:
“Look, you have vaccines that work [polio; COVID]. They just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people,”
September 7, 2025 at 1:44 PM
AofW:
Trump disagrees with Florida ending vaccine mandates:
“Look, you have vaccines that work [polio; COVID]. They just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people,”
Trump disagrees with Florida ending vaccine mandates:
“Look, you have vaccines that work [polio; COVID]. They just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people,”
AofW:
CTV News,
Pierre Poilievre:
“if someone enters your home illegally and uninvited, and two, you reasonably believe they are a threat to your family then it is assumed that all the force you use against that person is reasonable and legal. That is the test that our bill will bring in."
CTV News,
Pierre Poilievre:
“if someone enters your home illegally and uninvited, and two, you reasonably believe they are a threat to your family then it is assumed that all the force you use against that person is reasonable and legal. That is the test that our bill will bring in."
August 31, 2025 at 3:23 PM
AofW:
CTV News,
Pierre Poilievre:
“if someone enters your home illegally and uninvited, and two, you reasonably believe they are a threat to your family then it is assumed that all the force you use against that person is reasonable and legal. That is the test that our bill will bring in."
CTV News,
Pierre Poilievre:
“if someone enters your home illegally and uninvited, and two, you reasonably believe they are a threat to your family then it is assumed that all the force you use against that person is reasonable and legal. That is the test that our bill will bring in."
Argument of the Week:
Trump:
“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia."
Trump:
“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia."
August 24, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Argument of the Week:
Trump:
“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia."
Trump:
“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia."
Argument of the Week:
Adam Aleksic, NYT:
"Trumpisms"--linguistic coinages of President Trump [have] become ingrained in our collective vocabulary. Since they became popular as memes during his first presidential campaign, we have begun using them.
Adam Aleksic, NYT:
"Trumpisms"--linguistic coinages of President Trump [have] become ingrained in our collective vocabulary. Since they became popular as memes during his first presidential campaign, we have begun using them.
August 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Argument of the Week:
Adam Aleksic, NYT:
"Trumpisms"--linguistic coinages of President Trump [have] become ingrained in our collective vocabulary. Since they became popular as memes during his first presidential campaign, we have begun using them.
Adam Aleksic, NYT:
"Trumpisms"--linguistic coinages of President Trump [have] become ingrained in our collective vocabulary. Since they became popular as memes during his first presidential campaign, we have begun using them.
AofW
Home Secretary Cooper on the 'One in, One Out’ :
“we’re not setting the numbers in advance, firstly because there is no fixed number in terms of the overall number of people to come through this system, and secondly because we’re not going to provide (gangs) with that operational information.”
Home Secretary Cooper on the 'One in, One Out’ :
“we’re not setting the numbers in advance, firstly because there is no fixed number in terms of the overall number of people to come through this system, and secondly because we’re not going to provide (gangs) with that operational information.”
August 10, 2025 at 1:52 PM
AofW
Home Secretary Cooper on the 'One in, One Out’ :
“we’re not setting the numbers in advance, firstly because there is no fixed number in terms of the overall number of people to come through this system, and secondly because we’re not going to provide (gangs) with that operational information.”
Home Secretary Cooper on the 'One in, One Out’ :
“we’re not setting the numbers in advance, firstly because there is no fixed number in terms of the overall number of people to come through this system, and secondly because we’re not going to provide (gangs) with that operational information.”
AofW:
BBC
[After sacking of Erika McEntarfer] former Treasury Secretary Summers: "Firing the head of a key government agency because you don't like the numbers they report, which come from surveys using long established procedures, is what happens in authoritarian countries, not democratic ones."
BBC
[After sacking of Erika McEntarfer] former Treasury Secretary Summers: "Firing the head of a key government agency because you don't like the numbers they report, which come from surveys using long established procedures, is what happens in authoritarian countries, not democratic ones."
August 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
AofW:
BBC
[After sacking of Erika McEntarfer] former Treasury Secretary Summers: "Firing the head of a key government agency because you don't like the numbers they report, which come from surveys using long established procedures, is what happens in authoritarian countries, not democratic ones."
BBC
[After sacking of Erika McEntarfer] former Treasury Secretary Summers: "Firing the head of a key government agency because you don't like the numbers they report, which come from surveys using long established procedures, is what happens in authoritarian countries, not democratic ones."
AofW:
Justice Maria Carroccia:
"The case on its facts does not raise issues of the reformulation of the legal concept of consent. In this case, I have found actual consent not vitiated by fear. I do not find the evidence of E.M. to be either credible or reliable.”
Justice Maria Carroccia:
"The case on its facts does not raise issues of the reformulation of the legal concept of consent. In this case, I have found actual consent not vitiated by fear. I do not find the evidence of E.M. to be either credible or reliable.”
July 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
AofW:
Justice Maria Carroccia:
"The case on its facts does not raise issues of the reformulation of the legal concept of consent. In this case, I have found actual consent not vitiated by fear. I do not find the evidence of E.M. to be either credible or reliable.”
Justice Maria Carroccia:
"The case on its facts does not raise issues of the reformulation of the legal concept of consent. In this case, I have found actual consent not vitiated by fear. I do not find the evidence of E.M. to be either credible or reliable.”
AofW:
Diane Abbott
"Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street,.. But if you see a black person walking down the street, you see straight away that they're black."
Diane Abbott
"Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street,.. But if you see a black person walking down the street, you see straight away that they're black."
July 20, 2025 at 2:14 PM
AofW:
Diane Abbott
"Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street,.. But if you see a black person walking down the street, you see straight away that they're black."
Diane Abbott
"Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street,.. But if you see a black person walking down the street, you see straight away that they're black."
AofW
Simon Garfield:
Wikipedia is now the only serious player in the game. Britannica still exists online, but in April, 2025, it attracted just over 60 million visitors, compared with Wikipedia’s 4.55 billion. For this reason alone, Wikipedia carries immense responsibility alongside its influence.
Simon Garfield:
Wikipedia is now the only serious player in the game. Britannica still exists online, but in April, 2025, it attracted just over 60 million visitors, compared with Wikipedia’s 4.55 billion. For this reason alone, Wikipedia carries immense responsibility alongside its influence.
July 13, 2025 at 2:08 PM
AofW
Simon Garfield:
Wikipedia is now the only serious player in the game. Britannica still exists online, but in April, 2025, it attracted just over 60 million visitors, compared with Wikipedia’s 4.55 billion. For this reason alone, Wikipedia carries immense responsibility alongside its influence.
Simon Garfield:
Wikipedia is now the only serious player in the game. Britannica still exists online, but in April, 2025, it attracted just over 60 million visitors, compared with Wikipedia’s 4.55 billion. For this reason alone, Wikipedia carries immense responsibility alongside its influence.