Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Romney's Granfalloon Gambit



I've been reading and rereading Willard Romney's "Mormon Speech" transcript, trying to decide how to describe the bait & switchiness he used to sucker God-fearing Christians.

Then, it came to me. No, not a Joseph Smith-ian "vision."

A Kurt Vonnegut construct.

granfalloon- some distinction or difference which sets members of a group apart from other people who are not part of the group. The purpose of creating a granfalloon is to engender a feeling of "Us versus Them."

Romney asked his audience: Which side are you on, Jesus' side; or the scary secular Jesus-hating atheists' side?

By completely ignoring the differences between Mormonism (on one side) and all Christian denominations (the members of the other side, who mostly define Mormonism as a cult) altogether, Romney's granfalloon speech could only sucker the most ignorant Republican suckers.

And, of course, Romney tried to granfalloon himself with John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Never heard of granfallooning? Of course, you have!


Raise your hand!
Raise your hand!
Raise your hand if you're SURE!

(Sure Deodorant)


Aren't you glad you use DIAL?
Don't you wish everybody did?

(Dial Soap)



The examples are endless.

The big question: Are you easily suckered by the granfalloon?

How're you fixed for bait & switchiness?
You'd better check!



Best bar bet in the world: Delilah didn't do it.
Judges 16:19--

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