THE ART OF OBFUSCATION: HOW TO MAKE SOMEONE THINK YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTION

Today, Orrin Hatch, Senator from Utah, has a finger in many very important pies of our country. He did a marvelous job of not answering a direct question, asked by his interviewer, smoothly. He talked about many things, made unrelated points he chose to insert, but never referred to the point his interviewer brought up. When he finished, his interviewer mentioned that he had not responded to his question, they were (of course!) by then out of time. It is, to speech, an art of illusion, as much as a stage performer sawing a woman in half, who then appears, smiling, back in one piece.

Illusion: Answer a question, just not THE question. If you are asked what, answer why or where. If you are asked a question to which a 'no' answer is expected, talk about something else that you can easily make negative comments about.

Don't allow interruptions. Failing that, interrupt the questioner and state some reason why you cannot continue the discussion. On TV, watch cues and make sure you run the clock. On the street, you can always claim you are late for an appointment and race away.

Learn to refocus by asking the interviewer questions. It eats up time so that the original point is forgotten because if the interviewer is forced into a defense his acuity is lessened by having to try to figure out what is happening.

Apparently, though I haven't seen one, I am convinced there is an underground manual for those who are planning a political career...if there isn't one, then politicians are learning by watching those already in office who have mastered the technique and TV provides an open laboratory.