Cataphasis (kat-af’-a-sis): A kind of paralipsis in which one explicitly affirms the negative qualities that one then passes over.
“Once again, right here, tonight, live on CNN, I am not going to ask Mitch McConnel how he managed to lose control of the Senate and put our nation’s security at risk. I’m not even going to ask him why he has such disrespect for federal employees and such a dysfunctional relationship with the Speaker of the House. I won’t even ask him how he managed to almost lose his last reelection bid.
I’m pretty sure CNN’s viewers already know the answers to those questions!
Now, you asked whether I am going to run for President of the United State of America? That, my friend, you’ll have to ask my psychiatrist! She’s the one who monitors my meds and ties me down at night.”
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Definition courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu)
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