Sunday, January 18, 2015

"Not My Decision" Examples: 2008

EXAMPLES AND ANALYSIS: 2008 "Not My Decision"
Tim Russert: Governor Huckabee, are you comfortable with the fact that Governor [Mitt] Romney raised fees a quarter of a million dollars as governor of Massachusetts? Do you trust him as a tax cutter?
Former Governor (AR) Mike Huckabee: You know, it's going to be really more do the voters trust him, and do they trust me.
-- January 24, 2008, at the Florida Republican Debate.

Comment: Huckabee is avoiding the question by employing the "it's not my decision" evasion. Yes, voters in the Republican primaries are going to have to decide for themselves whether or not Romney or Huckabee can be trusted to keep their pledges to cut taxes (or to keep any other pledges, for that matter). But how does that prevent Huckabee from giving his OWN opinion on whether Romney can be trusted? Would Huckabee decline to express ANY opinion whatsoever on who participants in the Republican should vote for since, after all, that's something the voters have to decide? Of course not.

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Asked whether Democratic Senator (IL) Barack Obama is ready to be president, Senator Hillary Clinton (D, NY) said, "This is up to the voters of our country to determine." Asked again, she said, "That is up for voters to decide."
-- NBC's "Meet the Press," January 14, 2008.

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