Current Events > The first question of a presidential debate in 1988

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https://twitter.com/ampol_moment/status/1516088665725931525

I was taught this in like High School or something, its an example of a question you dont answer, and instead criticize your opponent for asking a question like that. Because if you answer either way, your positioned is weaker.

This dude calling the war on drugs phony all the way back in 1988

THis moment has always infuriated me. Sadly he had a great opportunity to turn it around on the moderator and call him out for how disgusting the question is and then make a really strong stand on his position. I think he did okay on the answer but he seemed a bit flustered and it wasn't as good of an answer as it could have been. Hard to blame him, who expects a professional to ask that

Dukakis sounds a lot like Obama.

PerseusRad posted...

I was taught this in like High School or something, its an example of a question you dont answer, and instead criticize your opponent for asking a question like that. Because if you answer either way, your positioned is weaker.

I don't think so here. It's easy to emphasize that you're not swayed by emotion when considering matters of policy and instead stick to reason which is why the stance would still be against the death penalty.

EmbraceOfDeath posted...

I don't think so here. It's easy to emphasize that you're not swayed by emotion when considering matters of policy and instead stick to reason which is why the stance would still be against the death penalty.

The fact is, someone so unwavering is also seen as a bad thing, you dont want to be seen as a robot. But betraying your position is also seen as a weakness. There is no correct answer besides what I mentioned, criticizing the question and the one who asked it for a lack of professionalism.

PerseusRad posted...

The fact is, someone so unwavering is also seen as a bad thing, you dont want to be seen as a robot. But betraying your position is also seen as a weakness. There is no correct answer besides what I mentioned, criticizing the question and the one who asked it for a lack of professionalism.

To a lot of people, dodging the question would be a bigger sign of weakness.

ANort175 posted...

To a lot of people, dodging the question would be a bigger sign of weakness.

No, if he had stood strong and made his response about not being emotionally manipulated by the disgusting question, the strength of that answer would have outweighed not answering the disgusting question. In fact, it probably would have done even better for him.