Why is it so hard to answer a direct question

[Scott559]

First confession, I actually like watching debates. I just watched the Cruz/Allred debate, Anyway in debate after debate you see direct questions asked but never answered. Democrat,Republican doesn’t matter. Is it really that hard to answer a damn question. That is all.

 

[BrianNole777]

I think an old political trick is to answer the question they wish was asked, not the question that was actually asked.

 

[IowaHawkIT]

I wish they would mute the mic of the candidate in debates when they go off of the question. I would mute them and say, "the question was ....". I was watching CNN last night and they spent 8 minutes talking about how Trump wouldn't answer a question at that economic forum he was at. I don't like Trump, but I was perplexed why they were singling him out when every politician does it.

 

[Sharky1203]

First confession, I actually like watching debates. I just watched the Cruz/Allred debate, Anyway in debate after debate you see direct questions asked but never answered. Democrat,Republican doesn’t matter. Is it really that hard to answer a damn question. That is all.

Most don't have an answer or if they do it would cause a huge stir with the answer they give. So it's easier for them to give an answer of what the opponent will do and criticize it.

 

[Funky Bunch]

Someone very important came up to me and he said, 'Sir, you always have the best answers'. I told him it's called the weave. And I invented the weave. I'm also the father of IVF. If it wasn't for me, IVF would be a thing of the past. Many people are saying it. Also, they're eating the pets!

 

[Scott559]

I wish they would mute the mic of the candidate in debates when they go off of the question. I would mute them and say, "the question was ....".

Perhaps add in a nice electric shock.

 

[jonesy5960]

Someone very important came up to me and he said, 'Sir, you always have the best answers'. I told him it's called the weave. And I invented the weave. I'm also the father of IVF. If it wasn't for me, IVF would be a thing of the past. Many people are saying it. Also, they're eating the pets!

"But the question was how your tarrifs would impact inflation Mr Trump."

 

[Finance85]

First confession, I actually like watching debates. I just watched the Cruz/Allred debate, Anyway in debate after debate you see direct questions asked but never answered. Democrat,Republican doesn’t matter. Is it really that hard to answer a damn question. That is all.

I grew up in a middle class household.

 

[jonesy5960]

Perhaps add in a nice electric shock.

That would be cool.

 

[bagdropper]

They won't directly answer most all questions because they know many people (meaning, voters) won't like the answers. And in today's "gotcha" environment, a confusing or mistake answer can circle the globe in minutes.

Look at it this way - WE are the reason they don't really answer the questions.

We (the voters) get what we deserve with the political climate today - we really are to blame.

 

[jonesy5960]

They won't directly answer most all questions because they know many people (meaning, voters) won't like the answers. And in today's "gotcha" environment, a confusing or mistake answer can circle the globe in minutes.

Look at it this way - WE are the reason they don't really answer the questions.

We (the voters) get what we deserve with the political climate today - we really are to blame.

Let's be honest about this. The reason they don't answer half the time is because they don't understand the question in the first place. Watch the interviews from Trump. He can't answer 90% of the policy questions because he doesn't understand the problem or what a policy might be to address it. He's simply a conman performer and he has zero intellectual curiosity. Anything he "learns" is fed to him and the people around him know that he isn't interested so they don't even bother trying anymore.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

I'm from Appalachia. In other words, I'm not capable of answering any direct questions.

 

[EasyHawk]

Someone very important came up to me and he said, 'Sir, you always have the best answers'. I told him it's called the weave. And I invented the weave. I'm also the father of IVF. If it wasn't for me, IVF would be a thing of the past. Many people are saying it. Also, they're eating the pets!

Was it a big man, a very large man with tears in his eyes, by chance?

 

[BelemNole]

First confession, I actually like watching debates. I just watched the Cruz/Allred debate, Anyway in debate after debate you see direct questions asked but never answered. Democrat,Republican doesn’t matter. Is it really that hard to answer a damn question. That is all.

I think candidates have always danced around questions they found thorny. But now we're seeing more widespread refusal to even discuss it.

Did Donald Trump lose the election?

“Did big technology companies censor a story that independent studies have suggested would have cost Trump millions of votes?” Vance said in response to the third time Garcia-Navarro asked the question.

“Senator Vance, I’m going to ask you again,” Garcia-Navarro said a fourth time. “Did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?”

“I’ve answered your question with another question,” Vance said. “You answer my question, and I’ll answer yours.”

 

[Tom Paris]

I grew up in a middle class household.

This actually make me laugh because she started a speech with this right after Saturday Night Live spoofed her doing it in the Family Feud opener on Saturday. Damn, Kamala, you just made the skit 100% accurate!

 

[EasyHawk]

If I was running for office, I would do a town hall but every time they asked me a question I would respond, "On the advice of counsel, I respectfully and regretfully decline to answer the question based on my constitutional rights."

 

[Finance85]

If I was running for office, I would do a town hall but every time they asked me a question I would respond, "On the advice of counsel, I respectfully and regretfully decline to answer the question based on my constitutional rights."

Too wordy.

 

[BelemNole]

Too wordy.

Yeah, better to go with ""What a stupid question. But I watch you a lot. You ask a lot of stupid questions."