Quote: "So I guess you want me to be the superhero, to step in there and take everyone out of New Orleans." Former FEMA director Michael Brown, testifying before Congress
Figure of Speech: diasyrmus (die ah SIR mus), the silly comparison
The diasyrmus (Greek for "tear apart") belittles the opponent's argument with a ridiculous analogy. The disgraced federal bureaucrat employs the perfect figure in this case. Imagine Michael Brown as a superhero.
Snappy Answer: "What I wanted you to do is your job..." (For once we didn’t have to make this up! Chris Shays, a Republican congressman from Connecticut, said it in reply to Brown.)