Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

muriel_volestrangler

(102,754 posts)
11. To deflect attention - quite possible. But the technical term for this is "a dead cat"
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 08:35 AM
Dec 23
The dead cat strategy, also known as deadcatting, is the political strategy of deliberately making a shocking announcement to divert media attention away from problems or failures in other areas. The present name for the strategy has been associated with British former prime minister Boris Johnson's political strategist Lynton Crosby.

While he was mayor of London, Boris Johnson wrote a column for the 3 March 2013 edition of The Telegraph in which he described the "dead cat" as a piece of Australian political strategy about what to do in a situation in which the argument is being lost and "the facts are overwhelmingly against you".

There is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table – and I don't mean that people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted. That is true, but irrelevant. The key point, says my Australian friend, is that everyone will shout, "Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!" In other words, they will be talking about the dead cat – the thing you want them to talk about – and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief.

Johnson employed the Australian Lynton Crosby as his campaign manager during the 2008 and 2012 London mayoral elections, leading to press speculation that he was the "Australian friend" in the story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_cat_strategy


Recommendations

5 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Just in case anyone forgot what an idiot this guy is C_U_L8R Dec 23 #1
Good idea trump, focus all your attention on that... Think. Again. Dec 23 #2
Hard to tell how much of this is trolling, GoCubsGo Dec 23 #3
Lots of trolling newdeal2 Dec 23 #16
I'm leaning more heavily toward "batshit crazy," myself. GoCubsGo Dec 23 #18
This continual contriving of absurd but dangerous pronouncements Liberal In Texas Dec 23 #36
It has always been all of those, and Magats and billionaires don't care. ananda Dec 23 #24
It's an attention-whoring distraction -- Don't give it any oxygen Blue_Tires Dec 23 #55
It's definitely attention-whoring. GoCubsGo Dec 24 #58
What is his fixation on Greenland about? wnylib Dec 23 #4
Oil and natural gas lostnfound Dec 23 #6
Thanks. I knew it had to be connected to some sort of financial gain. wnylib Dec 23 #13
Trump wants us to quit NATO. yardwork Dec 23 #14
So then NATO will be free to unite against Mr. Trump's land grab wnylib Dec 23 #23
Pricey oil and gas ...81% of the country is under the Artic ice sheet...we know how but $$$ dutch777 Dec 23 #53
The cheapest spot on the Risk board??? (nt) muriel_volestrangler Dec 23 #7
That's my guess too. Hugin Dec 23 #19
He played Risk once as a teen and got his a$$ whooped JCMach1 Dec 23 #22
This message was self-deleted by its author dalton99a Dec 23 #5
plus tax and tariffs Conjuay Dec 23 #10
And documentary fees Captain Zero Dec 23 #47
In case you were wondering.... that is a sextillion Nictuku Dec 23 #17
Billion enid602 Dec 23 #30
Not really. Disaffected Dec 23 #33
Billion enid602 Dec 23 #42
I guess you don't get around much :) Disaffected Dec 23 #43
In Sweden 1,000,000,000 is called en miljard, and up until the last 50 years or so, in the UK, it was called a milliard Celerity Dec 23 #49
Is this another form of gaslighting, to deflect Emile Dec 23 #8
To deflect attention - quite possible. But the technical term for this is "a dead cat" muriel_volestrangler Dec 23 #11
Jared just got another $1.5 billion from Qatar. So there's that. Scrivener7 Dec 23 #35
Does Bezos have it with a "Buy It Now" option on Amazon? bluesbassman Dec 23 #9
I sense Putin's involvement. yardwork Dec 23 #15
That or a oblique admission that climate change is real and gonna make life unbearable in southern climes Attilatheblond Dec 23 #28
It will be all wet. yardwork Dec 23 #29
No, jackass, the United States of America does not feel that. tanyev Dec 23 #12
He wants to own everything, but never wants to own up to his crimes. RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Dec 23 #20
I don't think he ran this by his boss, Elon.... Jack Valentino Dec 23 #21
Sigh Prairie Gates Dec 23 #25
If anyone needed more proof that he's insane, there it is. Dave Bowman Dec 23 #26
Am much less concerned about him trying to buy Greenland as I am about him trying to sell Alaska to Putin Attilatheblond Dec 23 #27
Just like taking Ukraine is "essential" for the defense of Russia... Wounded Bear Dec 23 #31
Ha-ha! Mike Nelson Dec 23 #32
That'll definitely bring down the price of groceries. Promises kept! Scrivener7 Dec 23 #34
If it was actually for sale at a good price, I'd be all for it Polybius Dec 23 #37
If you were Denmark.... Red Mountain Dec 23 #38
Once he says something LPBBEAR Dec 23 #39
Dangerously insane Hekate Dec 23 #40
"... ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity." LastDemocratInSC Dec 23 #41
"Extortion" seems to be a Disaffected Dec 23 #44
Maybe he could build mierde a gogo north Richard D Dec 23 #45
Has anyone actually told hime that Greenland isn't actually green? Angleae Dec 23 #46
Watch out, now---you'll endanger Iceland. (nt) Paladin Dec 23 #50
The Shady Tree Retirement Home Aussie105 Dec 23 #48
Todays shinny object for the headlines. What will be next buy Antartica? He may doc03 Dec 23 #51
Are we invading or buying Greenland, Canada, Mexico, Panama? Irish_Dem Dec 23 #52
So, is the self named peacenick, going to order the zorbasd Dec 23 #54
Four years of this utter insanity ahead ..... Diamond_Dog Dec 23 #56
What a fucking asshole. But you knew that... Evolve Dammit Dec 23 #57
In other news, putin claims Alaska Marthe48 Dec 24 #59
This is pure greed on the part of Trump and his billionaire buddies peggysue2 Dec 24 #60
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»'Absolute Necessity': Tru...»Reply #11