More Bad Rhetoric

Michael Rubin, a Bush administration flack, attempting to defend its disgraceful policy of planting occupation-friendly stories in Iraqi newspapers:

"We need an even playing field, but cannot fight with both hands tied behind our backs."

Say what? This is too inept an utterance to warrant comment (note the nonsensical "but"), save that he is doing what I pointed out in the last post: trying to intensify an image by ramping up its quantitative element. Instead of playing with one hand behind one's back, it's "both hands," just as some people think that "one-dimensional" is just like "two-dimensional" but with more punch.

I suppose it's a bit of a consolation that the fatuous mediocrities and preening war criminals of the Bush administration do not seem to have competent apologists.