Wednesday, July 25, 2007

A Public Plea

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I'm convinced that if you were to run into any of the Presidential candidates on the street, and ask them the time, they'd spend the next 2 hours telling you how to build a clock.

Here's my problem. If the candidate is asked whether she is right or left-handed, and she answers with her shoe size, along with a detailed explanation of how the bones in the feet work, you're probably going to have a fact-filled, long-winded oratory. But you don't have the answer to the question, do you?

I try to catch all the debates on both sides of the political spectrum. And I intend to catch as many more as are broadcast. But going forward, I have one request to make of each and every single participant: ANSWER THE DAMNED QUESTIONS!

I once had a Public Speaking class with an instructor who warned us not to construct a presentation made up of birdseed. In his admonition, "birdseed" was used to represent a whole lot of pretty rhetoric. If you get up and cover the ground with a whole pile of birdseed, and the birds eat it all up, what do you have left.

Folks, I appreciate that most of you are very well-educated. You have a nice command of the English language, but use it to answer the questions!

Rhetoric, bad. Truth good. And if you don't know, say so. Tell us, "Hey, let me get back to you on that." That might earn you some respect.

4 comments:

  1. Well said. I can only take so much air being blown up my voter's proverbial skirt. Could it be the case that "straight answers" have drawn criticism from the ACLU for being anti-gay?

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  2. Didn't you know a prerequisite for being a politician is speaking a lot of bull? They all dance around questions and flip-flop.

    Where are those that speak from the heart and do what they actually say they will do? (And actually read and follow the Constitution)....

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  3. Anonymous5:27 PM

    I agree! Why is it so difficult for politicians to give a direct answer to a question? They think that if they just babble on about something that we'll forget what they were asked in the first place? What's so bad is that most of the moderators don't call them on it either. That's why they get away with it and leave us shaking our heads and saying, "Huh?"

    Robin in Texas

    Robin in Texas

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