Geraldine Ferraro

Ferraro's response to George H. W. Bush on 11 October 1984 challenges his manner of explaining foreign policy to her, then rejects his characterisation of her remarks about the marines killed in Lebanon. She does not leave the exchange at an objection to tone. The second step restores the substantive disagreement and prevents courtesy from becoming the whole subject. It is a strong example of defending one's standing while also specifying what an opponent has misrepresented.