Ad Hominem -- the favored attack of the right.

[merlinofchaos]

This one is so easy I don't need to actually say anything myself, except this: When you can't defend your position, attack those who think you are wrong.

"What a copout,'' Carlson said Monday. "On the one hand, he wants to play media critic and cultural critic, and on the other hand, if challenged, he retreats into 'I'm just a comedian' mode. I mean, that's pathetic.''

Attacking the Person
(argumentum ad hominem)
Definition:

      The person presenting an argument is attacked instead of the
      argument itself. This takes many forms. For example, the
      person's character, nationality or religion may be attacked.
      Alternatively, it may be pointed out that a person stands to
      gain from a favourable outcome. Or, finally, a person may be
      attacked by association, or by the company he keeps.

      There are three major forms of Attacking the Person:
      (1) ad hominem (abusive): instead of attacking an assertion,
      the argument attacks the person who made the assertion.
      (2) ad hominem (circumstantial): instead of attacking an
      assertion the author points to the relationship between the
      person making the assertion and the person's circumstances.
      (3) ad hominem (tu quoque): this form of attack on the
      person notes that a person does not practise what he
      preaches.

Comments

Re: True, but...

[tayefeth.livejournal.com]

In what manner is Fahrenheit 911 an ad hominem attack? I was under the impression that it concentrated on Dubya's policies and their effects, not, for example, his self-satisfied pseudo-piety.

Re: True, but...

[colubra.livejournal.com]

The particular detail that sticks out in my mind is how we got told, in vast detail, about GWB going on vacation. While sure, this is not the Man of Action that I'd want my president to be, there is something to be said for the president getting the hell out of the way and letting people who know what they're doing deal with the situation. A lot of what else I recall is characterizations of the major players in the current administration- rather than characterizations of their policies. 'These policies are evil and foolish, and are advanced by evil men', is what I walked away from the film having gotten most strongly. That, to my eyes, is pretty solidly an ad hominem argument.
Note, this does not in any way amount to me attempting to defend these policies: I do believe quite wholeheartedly that this administration's policies have been unremittingly evil and foolish.