A.+Roberts

When an arguer “poisons the well” they are insulting their opponents view in order to discount the credibility of their rivals claim. The arguer uses this reasoning to bias the audience against his opponent.

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The 2014 Sprint commercial displays a good example of “Poisoning the Well.” During the thirty second ad, Sprint discredits opponents, Verizon and AT&T, to make itself look better. The main point of the commercial is to persuade its viewers to switch to Sprint’s phone company because of their claim that Verizon and AT&T are outrageously overpriced while Sprint on the other-hand, “will cut your rate plan in half.”

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In the CNN Debate, Donald Trump uses “Poisoning the Well” as a tactic to insult his opponent Rand Paul. Politics are typically a common ground for “Poisoning the Well.” Debates and speeches are packed with insults and incivility, politicians bring their opponents down in order to push themselves to the top in the eyes of the public. Donald Trump gives a perfect example of “Poisoning the Well.” He uses this reasoning in the video as an attempt to win over the audience by convincing viewers that his rival does not deserve a spot in the election by claiming that he would not make a respectable leader.