The recent Bush Administration and John McCain war policies are incorrectly labeled as a
surge. This watered down word without any additional context is nearly meaningless. Sending 30,000 additional troops is not a surge,
this is an escalation and expansion of the War in Iraq.
Rhetoric in diaries, talk shows and letters to the editor should be reframed to draw out the desired images and emotions in your audience. Rhetoric, not lying, is a skill that can help bolster your message and square the debate more evenly on your terms. The use of the word
surge is clearly being used to soften the blow of a controversial policy.
This one may be getting away from you, but look to use rhetoric to your advantage in the future. For all the lambasting of President Bush's lack of intellectual curiosity, keep in mind that you are not using rhetoric to combat skilled ad men. Frame the debate before there is even a debate. Frame and use rhetoric not simply to fight existing frames, frame and use rhetoric intelligently to develop new messages, ideas and images that reach people. Let the other side try to undo your frames instead of the other way around.