First, know that in rhetoric, a logical fallacy is essentially an error of reasoning (i.e., Women say all men are dogs. Bob is a man. Ergo, Bob is a dog. Though it's a truism to females, the logic is still flawed). Next, know that an eyeball-to-eyeball showdown between the GOP and Dems may shut down the entire US government by week's end. Next, imagine you are a White House reporter, a plum job to kill for. Next, imagine that you have a chance to ask the President of the United States, Barack Obama himself, a crucial question about the budget battle. Mr. Obama's answer to your presumably erudite question could give the public insight into this major issue. Indeed, if asked sagely enough, your interrogative could end up in the history books. And you've got one shot.
So what, pray tell, motivates an aspiring Ted Koppel to ask this doozy: "Mr President, who should the American people blame if the government is forced to shut down?" Whah?! Yes, an actual reporter actually put that silly question to Obama at today's nationally televised presser. This, friends, is known as the old plurium interrogationum schtick -- more commonly known as the "loaded question". It is more or less equivalent to asking, "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" It's a trap. It is only asked to generate a headline if the subject is dumb enough to answer it literally.
Obama, of course, did what all smart pols do: re-frame his interrogator's loaded question to one more to your liking. Then answer that one. The result: Obama 1, reporter 0 -- and no headline. Apparently, a heartbeat and the ability to stay upright are the only qualifying criteria for White House reporters these days.
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