Yammer, Yammer, Yammer

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." --  Shakespeare

"Ignore the premise of the question." -- Chief of Staff Leo McGarry on the fictional TV series "The West Wing."

   Politicians and the surrogates have long practiced the strategy of dancing around or ignoring a reporter's question, no matter how direct. Now we're seeing a variation on that, as speakers talk longer, louder and say less. But TV interviewers are beginning to alter their own strategies to cope with the political yammering. They put the question again, noting that the response was a non-answer.
   In the past, journalists maintained a politeness, waiting until the subject stopped talking. That, however, has recently become pointless, since not only was the premise of the question ignored, but the interviewee continued to talk at great length on something that was irrelevant and repetitious.
   Consequently, news media hosts have taken to interrupting the political flack and insisting that the question be addressed. Even that, however, is difficult because the subject of the interview keeps talking.
   The strategy seems to be that as long as they keep talking, they maintain control of the interview and they will control the news flow.
   Journalists in general and TV news talk show hosts in particular have a tradition of being polite to their subjects, especially those holding political office.
   However, that exposes them to a risk of being used as platforms for the political talking point of the day, regardless of the validity of the question.
   That time is passing. Media folk have become aware that they are being manipulated and used as platforms for propaganda. By failing to stay on their mission of gathering and reporting information that the public needs to know, they are enabling politicians to erode their right of press freedom.
   Controlling the news media is the first strategy on the road to full control of public action. When journalists surrender to politicians even partial control of what they report, they fail in their duty to voters.
   Fortunately, there are signs that reporters have become aware that the yammering strategy has become standard for many politicians.
   And at the risk of being called impolite, or worse, television journalists are refusing to allow politicians and their surrogates to take control.