Senator Dawson argues in favor of legalizing marijuana. But did you know that the senator has been married three times? And his last divorce was a real doozie. His wife went on and on about their sex life. Apparently the Senator is no good in bed. Enough about that issue ... . Shall we move on?
A) Missing the point.
B) Begging the question.
C) Straw man.
D) Red herring.
E) No fallacy.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is a classic example of a red herring fallacy. The argument for legalizing marijuana is completely unrelated to the personal life of the senator and his marital issues. Bringing up his personal life is an attempt to distract from the actual topic at hand.

Senator Dawson Argues in Favor of Legalizing Marijuana