Tannen attempt to connect to her readers in the beginning of the chapter by using examples that would be recognizable to her audience. She gives examples of how several political talk shows have become arenas for fighting. She mentions the shows Hardball and CNN's Crossfire in order to reach to her audience and have them identify with her as a regular person as well as a writer. Tannen also tried to draw in her audience once again when she discusses a particular hockey incident in which a violent play was left uncommented and a less violent play was deemed unbelievable by its commentators. The inclusion of this incident is to allow the reader to see Tannen's claim in a very common light.
Most people are familiar with sports and they can relate to an example involving sports.
The use of familiar examples establishes Tannen as a person who has a perspective from two sides and the audience can now relate to one side. After she has leveled with her audience, Tannen makes several successful attempts to establish her credibility as a writer. She mentions a debate in which she took part in and several credible magazines and newspapers decided to attend. As it turns out, the meeting was not a debate rather it was a discussion. She further establishes her reliability by adding about news articles that she has written in The New York Times Magazine .