Quote: "I think there ought to be zero tolerance of people breaking the law during an emergency such as this." President Bush, responding to reports of lawless chaos in New OrleansFigure: Heterogenium (het er oh GEE nee um), the figure of distraction.
Heterogenium is Greek for "different kind." It's a way to change the subject, distracting the audience from the main issue by, say, blaming the victim. Did looters slash the budget for fixing the dikes? Are they the reason federal help was so late in coming?
And what does "zero tolerance" mean? That a young mother grabbing formula from a wrecked store should be treated the same as a gun nut shooting at helicopters?
Snappy Answer: "There should be zero tolerance for politicians who call for 'zero tolerance'."