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November 21, 2007
When you play with fire, You better be ready to handle the burn.
Now, I am sure a bunch of canidates have done this during their campaigns, but it brings up an interesting point of how canidates handle these supposed town hall meetings. I mean I really don't understand why canidates feel they need to forge questions to pad their resumes and bring out their strengths. I think the risk highly outweighs the reward because if you get caught people are going to hear about it in articles like the one above. However, if you don't get caught and are able to answer a question that was planted no one is going to hear about it except the people in that room.
In Clinton's case, the question was almost humerously obvious. A young man asked:
"As a young person, I'm worried about the long-term effects of global warming. How does your plan combat climate change?"
And then Clinton responded by saying
"It's usually young people who ask me about global warming.."
I mean come on, who talks like that. Who says "As a young person...". I could have told you that the question was planted right from that. I just don't understand what Clinton felt she would gain from forcing someone to ask that question.
Aside from the negative impact that question planting directly has on a canidates image, I think there is also another side that is even more relevant. Question planting sends a signal to voters that you are not able to answer question that people actually want to ask and that you as a canidate don't have plans for issues that people would ask about. It also shows that you are afraid of getting a little roughed up. The bottom line, it shows that you are weak. An accolade that no canidate wants these days as we try to fight terrorism and insure Homeland Security.
In the end the fact that Clinton got caught is not really going to mean anything. It is like speeding. Everybody does it, it is just a matter of not getting caught. And like speeding, the risk of a $200 fine usually outwieghs the reward of getting somewhere 1 or 2 minutes earlier.
Posted by niemij at November 21, 2007 04:40 PM