Quoting out of context

Template:Expand An out of context quotation is a kind of quote mining or discrediting attack which attempts to "use a person's words" against them. "Putting words in someone's mouth" is another example.

Sometimes, even a subtle change in wording can radically change what the speaker meant to say.

Like, "Most pollution comes from trees," a remark attributed by Anderson supporters to Ronald Reagan during the 1980 presidential campaign.

Or, "She has stated that she is not impartial or balanced." (referrnig to Ann Coulter). Her political opponents seized upon this misquotation as an "admission" that she is partial or unbalanced in her writing, as a way of accusing her of political bias. What she actually said is that she does not pretend to be that way.