My Contribution to the Satirical World of Fake News

Political Satires – Articles, videos, songs, etc.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/scandal_mccain_won_miss - McCain Superlatives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUSJRKGhRgQ - “I got it from Obama” Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhxPV26lDLc - “McCain meets ‘Death’ ” Colbert Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYqcngB2k8Y - “McBain for President” Simpsons

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/portrayal_of_obama_as_elitist - Obama

McCain Gets Botox® Although He Claims His Old Age Will Not Affect His Future Presidency
September 04, 2008
The Republican nominee for President gets Botox® to conceal old age. Data from surveys and attacks from Obama, students and even Republicans, claim his age as a hinderance. These statements initiate McCain’s decision for cosmetic treatment.

MINNESOTA – McCain gets BOTOX® injections to help hide his aging process. McCain decided to enhance his appearance because some people claimed his seniority could potentially harm his campaigning and his presidency, including his opponent.

McCain claimed that Obama used the age card on him at the Wolf Blitzer and took much offense. Afterwards he felt intrugied to alter his look. Let’s hope plastic surgery is not the next step. America already has a Michael Jackson.

After seeing himself at the 2008 National Republican Convention, McCain realized his image on TV as old, crippled and weak. The white hair does not help his cause. To prevent future assumptions, he decided on BOTOX®, a fairly expensive yet effective treatment. “BOTOX® Cosmetic is a simple, nonsurgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily smooth moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people from 18 to 65 years of age. It is the only treatment of its type approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” states the BOTOX® company.

"I'm older than dirt, more scars than Frankenstein, but I learned a few things along the way," quips the Republican U.S. presidential candidate in an effort to conceal the age factor, by using humor and jokes.

He also used “humor” when a New Hampshire high school student stated McCain might be too old to be president and too conservative to be respected. McCain replied with “Thanks for the question, you little jerk. You’re drafted.”

McCain’s self-consciousness is apparent through his need to have a fresher, youthful look, to appeal to more Americas. In two recent surveys, the data conveyed that people are less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who is older than 70 than they would a divorced (twice) candidate, Guiliani, and a Mormon candidate, Romney.

Even some Republicans do not support McCain. “He looks like he's dragging," stated Chip Felkel, a Republican strategist who says he is not aligned with a candidate.

McCain uses his hereditary as a supporter by claiming his 95-year-old mother is still alive, but does not included the fact that his father died at 70 due to a heart failure.

Our Political Roots: Examples of Ancient Greek Rhetorics

Oedipus the King
5 rhetorical fallacies

1. Ad Hominem – page 64 – “You won’t talk for pleasure? Then perhaps you’ll talk for pain.” [Oedipus]

2. Paradox – page 26 – “Blind instead of seeing, beggar instead of rich.” [Tiresias]

3. Hasty Generalization – page 32 – “Just this: were you not hand-in-glove with him, he never would have thought of pinning Laius’s death on me.” [Oedipus]

4. Ad Hominem – page 35 – “a fool…Crazed decisions” [Oedipus and Creon, name-calling]

5. Hasty Generalization – page 22 – “Creon? Of course! Was it you or he that thought up that?” [Oedipus]

5 figurative language

1. Metaphor – page 39 – “From you who set this foundering ship.”

2. Synecdoche – page 39 – “And now again can take the helm.”

3. Irony – page 53 – “Apollo once declared that I would come to couple with my mother, and with these very hands of mine spill out the life-blood of my father.”

4. Simile – page 71 – “a spurt of black-ensanguined rain like hail beat down.”

5. Hyperbole – page 19 – “Your flinty heart set in hopeless stubbornness? My flinty heart!”

6. Personification – page 5 – “The city droops with elegiac sound.”

7. Synecdoche – page 10 – “Clues breed clues and we must snatch at straws.”

10 literary terms

1. Symbol – page 70 – “rips from her dress the golden brooches she was wearing.” Brooch symbolizes the queen and her royalty, but after she dies, the brooch is used as a weapon, in a sense that royalty has power and can we used to hurt others.

2. Climax – page 67 – “I want to gaze no more. My birth all sprung revealed from those it never should, Myself entwined with those I never could. And I the killer of those I never would.” [Oedipus] This is when Oedipus realizes that he as married his mother and killed his father, exactly what the oracle told him would happen. This even leads to the falling action.

3. Protagonist – page 5 – “I whom men call Oedipus the Great...King Oedipus, the sovereign of our land.” Oedipus is introduced into the story.

4. Syntax – page 66 – “What a slave? Or someone of his line?… She, she gave it to you?… With what intention?… The child’s own mother?… What kind of prophecy?” Oedipus is questioning the Shepard, so he can learn the truth about his life. The use of interrogative sentences creates suspicion and builds up the story, leading to the climax.

5. Hyperbole – page 19 – “Your flinty heart set in hopeless stubbornness? My flinty heart!” This is an exaggeration about Tiresias, made by Oedipus because Tiresias refuses to speak, “my lips are sealed.”

6. Symbol – page 57 – “I loosed the pin that rivet your feet. Which gave you also your unlucky name.” The messenger reveals to Oedipus how he was found, bound at the feet, and why he was named Oedipus, “swollen-foot.”

7. Tone – page 34 – “Then what is it you want – my banishment? [says Creon] Banishment? Great heavens, no! I want you dead: A lesson to all of how much envy’s worth. [Oedipus]” Oedipus’ tone is bitter, judgmental and condescending, while Creon’s tone is frank and cool like a cucumber :]

8. Theme – page 46 – “If he will keep to several, I, as only one, am not the killer, not the same. But if he says it was a lone man journeying – ah then! – the verdict tilts too heavily on me.” Oedipus portrays the theme that although the truth may ruin one’s life, the truth will set one free and that people will do anything to know the truth.

9. Epiphany – page 55 – “Worlds apart? He was my father, wasn’t he? No more nor less than I who tell you this.” [Oedipus] The protagonist has a realization/epiphany that his father was not Polybus, when the messenger is talking to him.

10. Conflict – page 18 – “Please send me home…What? Refuse to speak? Is that fair and loyal to your city?… Ah, fair speech! If yours were only so I should not shy away.” This is a conflict between Oedipus and Tiresias. Oedipus wants Tiresias to help him find out who killed Laius, but Tiresias doesn’t want to talk and participate.

If I Were Obama's Speechwriter, This Is What He’d Say

Obama

Location:High School Assembly

Thank you very much, La Costa Canyon High students, parents and teachers, for allowing me to visit your school and express my views regarding politics. Today I stand here as the Democratic nominee. I also stand here as a father, a son, a hard worker, and a senator. But mostly, I stand for change. I believe this nation needs a new leader, one who can restore our common purpose, one who can unite our nation, and one who can truly and passionately care about this countries’ people. This country needs a president who supports people’s jobs, eases people’s lives and allows people to accomplish their dreams. I firmly believe that John McCain does not fully devote himself to these issues.

Today, I want to talk about John McCain’s recent involvement in the closing of the Corning plant in Pennsylvania because I believe it accurately portrays his character, convictions and decisions. When the Corning manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania closed and hundreds lost their jobs, workers were rehired to disassemble the plant and ship the equipment to China. He supported the tax breaks for companies that shipped jobs overseas and voted against cracking down on China for unfair trading. I believe America deserves better. During the DNC, I stated, “Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it. Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.” We as a nation cannot depend heavily on foreign countries for jobs. We must secure our own economy by harnessing individual strength. In order to do that, the leaders of this country must set a good example. As President, I will cut 95 percent of taxes on the working class families, so people will be able to gain more and flourish.

Tonight, I say to you, Democrats and Republicans and Independents alike standing here before me - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep the American promise alive. We are in the twenty-first century…we can’t afford more of the same. I have said before, but I will state again, “The greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result.” I say “no.” “No” to the old. “No” to the plans John McCain has in mind because America…we cannot turn back. We can only unite and pledge ourselves to the future. Thank you, and God bless America.

Sarah Palin's Speech @ RNC

To see Palin's RNC Speech: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/03/sarah-palin-rnc-conventio_n_123703.html

Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCDxXJSucF4

Although there is much variety when it comes to politics, all politicians use the same techniques and strategies. They just mold the basic structure into their preference and opinions and publicize them. For instance, in Palin’s acceptance speech, the introduction is similar to her opponents. They both express gratitude and much pride for there nominations. The tone is humble, warm and familial.

The divergence comes when Palin starts to speak about her family and her background, “And as the mother of one of those troops, that is exactly the kind of man I want as commander in chief.” Her tone is informal, her diction limited to further connect to Americans on a less sophisticated, fancy level as she portrays her pride, devotion and dedication to the US. On the other hand, Obama begins on a broader spectrum, and generalizes America. He speaks with an honest and firm tone as he states the reality of what America and its citizens deserve.

Throughout Palin’s speech, she refers to herself as an average hockey mom and incorporates humor when she says, “You know the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull? Lipstick!” while gesticulating towards her own pink lips. Palin also can connect with current events, even the live convention, “When the cloud of rhetoric has passed… when the roar of the crowd fades away... when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot - what exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish?” This enbles her to convery her communicational skills and active listening. Obama was more serious in his direction and had a more inspiring, reverent tone. He uses more interrogative syntax and lyrical diction. Both speeches however, intertiwned facts to support there claims/causes or to use against their opponent.

Palin claims Obama is a hypocritical when he promises more, “Congress spends too much ... he promises more. Taxes are too high ... he wants to raise them.” Obama claims that McCain, the Republican nominee “just doesn’t get it.” They both have much respect for each other, and appreciate each other’s hard work, although both want the position very badlu. Palin, as vice, supports McCain and attacks Obama, while Obama, as president, promotes his plans for change and his plans to restore America’s common purpose.

Barack Obama's Speech @ DNC

To see Obama's DNC Speech: http://www.demconvention.com/barack-obama/

Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv8eiDvrHJ4

After thanking people and expressing much gratitude, Obama first proves that America deserves better and that our needs need to be fulfilled. His use of specific examples [ex. proud auto workers in Michigan, Ohio woman on brink of retirement] help imply reality/real-life scenarios and his truth in his words. The repetition of the words "change" and "promise"suggest his reinforcememt in his solid decisions and morals. "The change we need is coming...change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. " (Obama)

His changes in the government and economics include a tax code where 95% of working families get cut taxes, the troops in Irag withdraw, America stops its dependence on oil in the Middle East, education for all children, investing in natural resources/alternatives, health care that covers everyone and more security in Social Security and pension. He is against gay marraige, but he does support granting benefits for same-sex couples.

Obama believes that for success, people need to harness their own individual responsibility and connect it with mutual responsibility. In addition, he states America's need to unite its people and it's need to restore the common purpose, saying "no" to old ideas because "the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result." (Obama)