How would you encourage peers to be honest and admit they know nothing about a subject they're being asked about beyond rehearsed lines crafted to feign awareness, appease the most amount of voters and stave criticism?

How would you encourage peers to be honest and admit they know nothing about a subject they're being asked about beyond rehearsed lines crafted to feign awareness, appease the most amount of voters and stave criticism?
Asked by: michael perigard from Seattle, WA

Asked of All U.S. Congress on Apr 9th, 2008

Categories: Campaign 2008 · Ethics. Tags: ethics · honesty · parties · scope · talking points.

Answer from: U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO)

Well that’s one of those questions “whether have you stopped beating your wife yet?” type of questions. I think most people that I serve with in Congress are fairly straightforward and try to answer things as honestly and straightforward way as they can. Obviously, people have their own political opinions and biases that shapes the kinds of answers that they give. You know there are all kinds of people in the world. Some of them that really want to be smartest – just kills them to say “I don’t know” and there are other ones like me who were never good in school. I don’t mind saying I don’t know if I don’t know something. So just a variety of different personalities. But Congressmen are not very much different than most people you meet on the street. Most of them have a good heart and try to do the best they can.

Answered on Jul 28th, 2008