"He Should Be Ashimed"
Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 12:13PM
Figaro

Australia’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, delivers a scathing ad hominem defense by attacking the leader of the opposition. Call it the “let him without sin cast the first stone” defense. 

Oh, and watch for the classic Ciceronian outline: Introduction (state the case), Narration (recitation of facts, storytelling), Division (recognition of the other side’s case), Refutation (dismissal of that case), and Peroration (emotional summary and conclusion).

Also look for a metastasis, in which the speaker moves quickly past an uncomfortable subject (sexist text messages by a member of her own party).

Cicero would have found the speech familiar—though its delivery by a woman would doubtless have shocked him.

Article originally appeared on Figures of Speech (http://inpraiseofargument.com/).
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