The term “Gish gallop” is now becoming familiar to an increasing number of people.
It’s a debate trick for overwhelming and confusing one’s opponent, especially in a tightly timed and un-factchecked debate by rapidly stacking a series of questionable claims, distortions of the truth, untruths, and smatterings of claims that might (or might not) be true in a short period of time.
If the technique is well executed, the opponent is rendered confused, overwhelmed, confidence-shaken, unable to think clearly or speak their thoughts crisply. Even the usually calm and unflappable was disrupted by this strategy in 2012. Even fans of Donald Trump will have noticed some incredible accusations by Trump that President Biden simply let stand.
Trump successfully used the “gallop” on Biden. The debate was not an accurate test of either candidate’s ability to govern.
James Cogan, Lewiston
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