Friday, October 19, 2007 Seares: ‘That’s a very good question’ By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
NOT many news sources rush to answer a reporter. The reason: Wading the waters of an interview can be tricky and one can slip and get wet. Meaning: embarrassment for saying something one didn't need to or shouldn't have.
Rep. Tony Cuenco's case offers insight. The veteran politico stumbled by admitting he received P200,000 cash in Malacañan and later calling it a joke, a lame effort at damage control.
What could Tony have done without shutting down the interview or an egg on the face?
One way was prefacing with, "That's a very good question, Jhunnex (Napallacan of dyLA)."
That would have briefly unsettled Jhunnex (few interviewers don't relish the thrill of being told he just asked a "very good question") and bought Tony crucial time.
Or he could have skirted the minefield by talking about other topics, tied to what was asked and yet not explosive and messy.
He could have talked about impeachment and its chances and the President's right to marshal resources to avert the political exercise. A mix of playing Artful Dodger ("Oliver") and hurdling Basic Interviewing.
Torment
There's this city official whose answer to the simplest question is lengthy and tortuous. He says the whole lot without saying anything useful: pure torment to reporters who give broad hints but the man is still clueless.
Tony's colleagues who also got cash but kept quiet would have cheered had he said a mouthful without telling.
Someone might ask me, as someone did before on a parallel topic: Why am I, a news person, telling this to news sources?
I can start with: "That's a very good question..."
