Teabagging Republicans?

Have you heard of the term “One-Off Characterization”? It’s where you characterize the people in a group through criticism of the group’s beliefs or actions. It’s an indirect type of criticism.

Anderson Cooper is a CNN journalist who takes his calling very seriously. He knows that it is unprofessional as a reporter to continually harp on the failings of Republicans. To give a break to his diatribe, he instead criticizes the types of groups that tend to draw Republicans. Here’s an article from MediaBistro.com (May 19, 2009) that talks about a sexual slur used by Mr. Cooper to characterize people who attend anti-tax “Tea Parties:”

Anderson Cooper Says "Teabagging" Comment Was "Stupid, Silly"

CNN's Anderson Cooper spoke at UCLA Sunday as part of the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture Series, and was asked about his "teabagging" comment last month during the Q&A portion. Here is a video of his response (sic), taken by an audience member.

Calling it a "stupid, silly, one-line aside," he touched on the attention it received. "I think it's an incorrect statement to say I was, in any way, trying to disparage legitimate protests," said Cooper. "I don't think it's my job to disparage, or encourage, which oddly other networks seemed to be doing. Protest is the great right of all Americans, and it's not my job in any way to make fun of people or disparage what they're doing."

Cooper said he regretted making the comment. "If people took offense to that and felt that I was disparagingtheir legitimate right to protest, and what they were doing, then that is something I truly regret, because I don't believe in doing that," he said. "Having this discussion just takes away from the real story."

What is worth noting here is the style of the denial/apology.

First is The Minimalization: “…it was a stupid, silly, one-line aside.” The message here is that the slur was just not that important.

Next comes The Subjunctive: “If people took offense to that…” This takes the event to a hypothetical place where it is possible that the offending remark was not offensive.

Last is The Summation: “Having this discussion just takes away from the real story.” This characterizes the people who are offended as wasting the time of the viewers and the person doing the apologizing/denying. They must move ON!

If you have trouble remembering how the model apology/denial works, just remember “The Subjunctive.” That “if” statement is a dead giveaway.

In our anti-Republican culture, the One-Off Characterization is a good way to drive home the “Republicans are bad people” theme while appearing to be dispassionate and analytical.

It’s a great technique!