Why Do Politicians Refuse to Answer Questions?

Some media trainers tell their clients to "Give the answer you want to give." I don't do that, because refusing to answer a reporter's question makes you look evasive.

There are several reasons why so many politicians refuse to answer questions and sadly, public accountability is threatened when they do.

A Failure to Communicate

We’ve all seen it. Far too often.

Prime Minister Trudeau is asked a question by a reporter about what can be done to help Canadians who are having a difficult time buying groceries. Instead of answering the question, he starts talking about something totally different. You wonder if he understood the question.

When Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre is asked what he would do if he was in charge, as soon as he starts his answer with “Justin Trudeau…..” you know you won’t get a straight answer out of him.

It’s the same with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. When he criticizes the Liberals, a reporter will ask him “If you don’t like what they’re doing then why do you keep supporting them?” Singh’s response usually never comes close to answering the question.

It happens everywhere these days. We’ve seen a week of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem playing dodgeball with questions about why she put false stories in her book, including one about staring down Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

They all do it. Most people don’t like it and they can see right through it. However, politicians keep avoiding questions. I don’t get it, but there is a method in their madness.

The Art Form of Not Answering

There was a time when politicians would actually answer questions. Today though, not answering questions has almost become an art form for some politicians.

Some media trainers have told their clients “Respond to a reporter’s question with the answer you want to give.” That sounds good, but the problem is, if you don’t answer the question you look evasive.

What I tell the people I work with is, start by answering the question and then talk about what you want to talk about. There’s an important distinction. I don’t let people off the hook during media training. If they refuse to answer a question of mine, they have a problem on their hands. I give them fair warning. You need to answer the question.

Giving the reporter the answer to the question they asked gives you the right to take the rest of your response where you want to take it. If you don’t answer the question something’s missing and by talking about what you want to talk about it looks like you’re afraid to deal with the truth.

They Do It Because They Can

Why do politicians do it if it looks stupid?

The answer is because they can.

These days media conferences are tightly controlled. Most reporters only get to ask one question. The politician knows that and quickly finds out there’s no downside to giving a word salad answer. In other words, there are no consequences for dodging a tough question.

I’ve heard of some media outlets in Ottawa have stopped going to many news conferences. Why bother when you know the newsmaker will refuse to answer questions from reporters and instead talk about what they want to talk about, or blame an opposing politician or party.

Where it doesn’t work is when said politician is doing a one-on-one interview with journalists like Vassy Kapelos or Rosie Barton. They have outstanding bullshit sensors and won’t allow politicians off the hook.

A well timed “Why are you refusing to answer my question” usually hits the politician between the eyes and makes them realize they’re no longer in the safety of a media scrum where each reporter only gets to ask one question with no follow up.

From time to time I see reporters inform their audience of this evasive practice. They show the question they asked and then the response from the politician. When it doesn’t match up, I wish they would show their question and the weak answer they got more often. It may be one way to shame the politician into giving a proper answer.

The other problem that exists is a shortage of good experienced reporters who refuse to accept an answer that isn’t an answer. A generation or so ago journalists on Parliament Hill were tougher than they are today. They took no prisoners.

The other problem today is fewer people watch the news on television and read the newspaper. That’s another reason politicians can get away with their canned responses.

I supposed there’s another factor. Politicians can give whatever BS they want and their supporters will look the other way and blame the media for asking questions that shouldn’t be asked.

The next time you see a politician refuse to answer a question from a journalist, ask yourself what they’re hiding. I would like to say you can make them pay at the ballot box, but since everyone does it, refusing to answer questions from reporters is no longer a difference maker.

Sad but true.