A Nod Is as Good as a Link to a Blind Bat

This is off topic, but have any of you noticed the growth of linking individual words in a series to reinforce the idea that there is a lot of evidence? Like this, from the New York Times:

But it defies belief — and a whole lot of economic research — to suggest that the problems of the middle class stem from illegal immigrants.

I think I like this technique (and not only when it exposes Lou Dobbs as a jackass), and I think it should have a name. But what?