Earlier this week I was watching Question Time (where David Dimbleby chairs a topical / political debate live on television) and the programme confirmed something I’ve always believed. When people get elected to Parliament in the UK - I think (no – I’m sure!) they get sent on a preparatory equivocation course (in much the same way as other folk starting a new job get sent on a Health & Safety in the Workplace course, or a Manual Handling course etc.) where they learn how to successfully avoid answering any tricky question that come their way!
I suspect the advice they are given goes something like this:
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When asked a tricky question, immediately go off on a tangent
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then waffle on endlessly, until the interviewer has forgotten the original question
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and the audience is bored beyond belief and has lost the will to live
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and if a really sharp interviewer insists on pinning you down, equivocate like mad!
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The golden rule is: ALWAYS AVOID ANSWERING A TRICKY QUESTION BUT WITHOUT ACTUALLY TELLING A LIE! (OK, sometimes you can lie!)
Now that’s my kind of diet!
Alfie: Born (approximately) 1st September 2008 (from Cat's Protection rescue centre)
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As a politician, one has to answer thousands upon thousands of questions from constituents and the media. It’s not uncommon for one to give inconsistent answers under such pressure. To make sure they don’t get “off track”, politicians rely extensively on their talking points to get out of tough situations. If I’m a politician, I would have done the same thing.
By: leafless on January 26, 2008
at 6:17 pm
Well, I’m pretty sure that these courses are offered internationally!!!
By: Lou (Linda) on January 26, 2008
at 8:29 pm
leafless,
A little known fact about me is that, when I was in my thirties I once seriously considered standing for Parliament. Someone fairly high in a political party offered me support and an opportunity to be their protegee.
I’ve never regretted not taking that opportunity – because the older I get the more I realise how little I could have changed in the UK – although I really admire those that try – at the same time I hate the corruption that is rife in government here in the UK (and throughout the world).
Anyway, all this rambling is by way of saying that had I taken up the political cudgel, I am quite sure I would have been the Queen of Equivocation!
Lou,
LOL!
By: Lady Luck on January 27, 2008
at 9:57 am