Tim Skubick

Political reporters love a certain type of question that seeks to under-mind those hours of preparation that politicians subject themselves to prior to a news conference, a one on one interview or the grand daddy of them all a political debate where the pol’s job is on the line. The drill is simple. The boss sits around a table with all of his or her high-priced handlers and they pepper him or her with every imaginable question crafty correspondents are likely to pop on them. The object is, obviously, to avoid any embarrassing “wrong” answers that could damage one’s career. Think, “I know Jack Kennedy and Mr. Quail, you are no Jack Kennedy.”

More often than not the prep work works like a charm. And you can tell that’s the case if you look at the handlers in the background as they smile, grin, high-five when they hear an inquiry they have anticipated and rehearsed.

But it doesn’t always work. Former life-long state Attorney General Frank Kelley was caught flat-footed when asked to name the most important thing he had done as A.G. He fumbled around for what seemed like an eternity and came up with some lame answer about creating an anti-crime commission. After the gig, he was seen leaving the building muttering to his aides and giving them the evil eye for not having thought of that question in advance.

So the other day current Independent candidate for governor Mike Duggan staged his first live zoom roundtable with a host of eager reporters who were having at him on the first day of his campaign after leaving the Detroit mayor’s office.

None of the questions made him look like the deer in the headlights.

Near the end however he got what they call in the biz a “first-impression” subject that he and the handlers could not have anticipated in a million years. Reporters are fond of these question, not because they want to necessarily trip-up the unsuspecting “victim”, but obviously if that happens the reporters will take that. Rather the hidden agenda is to see how the subject can think on their feet having to fashion an answer right there on the spot. (No high-fives from the handlers when this happens.).

Going through their heads before they respond are a number of options.

(1) Ask the reporter to repeat the question thus giving them more time to think of something.

(2) Admit you have never thought about this question and explain that once your do, you will get back to the reporter. Yeah it’s a weasely way out of the “trap” but it does the trick if they can’t think of anything. But you gotta ask, how does the audience react? It can go one of two ways: Man he sure looked stupid stumbling around for an answer to a question that was not that tough or citizens will give them a pass saying at least he or she was being honest. Either way it’s a roll of the dice which is exactly why they stage the skull session before the event.

(3) They could fake an answer hoping to get away with it or

(4) They could cry uncle and blurt out, I don’t know how to answer that. End of story? Maybe? Maybe not?

Anyway back to Mr. Duggan who out of the blue was asked, you’ve been around for some time and seen all of the modern day governor’s. Which one are closest too? (In terms of political philosophy or style.)

For a nano second he looks up in the sky off to his right (perhaps for Divine guidance) but her promptly returns to the camera with his off the top of his head answer, “Milliken.”

He waxes on about how the former moderate GOP governor of the 70’s worked with Democrats and Republicans to get things done and often times that meant the conservative wing of his own party was none to happy with that. Mr. Duggan notes that some politicians hate to compromise.

The answer was right in his wheel-house as he is telling Michigan voters that’s what he wants to do. Work with everyone. Put an end to all the political infighting and get something done for the people.

The punditry class in town took note of the Milliken response.

“For older people who have nothing else to do, those are the people who vote the most and those are the people who are most likely to remember somebody like Gov. Milliken or at least his reputation…”I think it’s pretty smart,” so says political consultant John Sellek.

Former GOP lawmaker and current veteran political observer Bill Ballenger chimes in, “I think this probably helps with moderate Republicans and also there’s a huge swath of Independent ticket-splitting votes in this state…they’re looking for a choice.”

After the zoom appearance, Mr. Duggan was asked about the unanticipated question. “It was the right answer,” he concluded.

We’re about to see if he’s right.