The Ditz Heard Round the World

People get so crazy about minor things like the truth. Presidential aspirant Michele Bachmann said that the American Revolution began in Figaro’s home state. A minor mistake—she was only one state off—yet snobs in her own party jumped all over her.

She makes Sarah Palin
look like Count Metternich.

GOP consultant Mike Murphy on Twitter, quoted in Politico.

After Congresswoman Bachmann mistook Concord, New Hampshire, for Concord, Massachusetts, Mike Murphy responded with what we call a Contraster.  A figure of relativity, the Contraster brings in an object of contrast to make a subject look bigger or smaller; more or less important; or more or less ridiculous. While there’s no precise formal name for this figure, the syncrisis comes pretty close.

Incidentally, we were surprised that a modern politician knew of Klemens von Metternich. The Austrian diplomat helped end the Napoleonic wars; his realpolitick inspired Henry Kissinger. And, no, Congresswoman Bachmann, Austria is not in New Hampshire. 

Comments

[Tesri Almado]

Actually, she referred to Lexington as well as Concord and made the same mistake on two different days. Maybe she's doing it deliberately.

[Figaro]

Maybe. Almost makes us New Hampshirites want to vote for her. And we're the first primary state. If you can't give us good government, at least give us fun history.

[Nancy]

How exactly does the Contraster work? Putting Michele Bachmann next to Sarah Palin makes Palin look like a statesman? Where does Metternich come in?

[Figaro]

Yes, Bachmann and Palin make the Contraster. Throwing in Metternich gets you a hyperbole.

[Peter]

Of course if only Congresswoman Bachmann spoke fluent Austrian as does our world-wise President - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1diNthezRk - maybe all those competing Concords would be less confusing.

[Fred E. Miller]

Fact check. Fact check. Fact check.