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Wednesday
28Sep

It’s an Ostrich…It’s a Political Appointee… It’s Screwup Man!

DateWednesday, September 28, 2005 at 08:33AM

superbrown.jpgQuote:  "So I guess you want me to be the superhero, to step in there and take everyone out of New Orleans." Former FEMA director Michael Brown, testifying before Congress

Figure of Speech:  diasyrmus (die ah SIR mus), the silly comparison

The diasyrmus (Greek for "tear apart") belittles the opponent's argument with a ridiculous analogy. The disgraced federal bureaucrat employs the perfect figure in this case. Imagine Michael Brown as a superhero.

Snappy Answer:  "What I wanted you to do is your job..."  (For once we didn’t have to make this up! Chris Shays, a Republican congressman from Connecticut, said it in reply to Brown.)

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